By Design - February 2019

13 C ity Park is one of few open spaces in downtown Denver, home to parkland, a zoo and a municipal golf course. It is also crucial for the detention and release of water following rainfall. However, as a result of urban development, the drainage basin in City Park was not sufficient to prevent flooding of surrounding neighborhoods. So, the city wanted to see how the golf course could be used to minimize flood risk, while retaining the character of its 1913 Tom Bendelow design. “The 135-acre course is one of the last large open spaces in Denver that offers a natural space to capture and then release floodwater,” says Todd Schoeder, ASGCA Associate. “The main challenge of the project was to detain the required amount of stormwater and release it within eight hours, to keep the course playable.” As part of a collaborative process with the public, neighborhood, city and golf community, Schoeder drew up a plan to address the stormwater issues, while at the same time updating the course—capturing the best features of Bendelow’s original layout by retaining the traditional parkland style. Work begin in November 2017 and the course is expected to reopen at the end of 2019. The design utilizes 20 acres of the course to hold and slow floodwater during storms. “An integrated natural water treatment channel was introduced,” says Schoeder. “It enhances course strategy while creatively conveying stormwater through the course, without looking like an engineered feature. Schoeder’s new par-70, 18-hole design preserves the sweeping vistas of the course and uses many existing hole corridors and strategies from Bendelow’s design. It also includes a new First Tee course, chipping area and driving range. The updated layout is also designed to encourage new players to the game. Various short loops of five or six holes have been identified in a shorter period of time, providing multiple options to experience the main course, as well as the four-hole short course and new forward tees that are suitable for young and old. City Park Location: Denver, Colorado Golf course architect: Todd Schoeder, ASGCA Associate www.icongolfstudio.com Project summary: Todd Schoeder, ASGCA Associate, has redesigned the municipal City Park golf course in Denver to capture stormwater runoff and reduce the risk of flooding in the neighborhood, without changing the character of the 1913 Tom Bendelow layout. Partners: Aspen Corporation (golf course contractor); CMF Global (drainage pipe); Golf & Support Solutions (greens mix, bunker sand, aggregates); Little Valley Wholesale Nursery (trees); Toro (irrigation); L.L. Johnson (irrigation); Saunders Construction (general contractor); Simplot (grassing) ASGCA DESIGN EXCELLENCE CITY PARK GOLF COURSE Community course City Park golf course in Denver has been redesigned to help protect neighborhoods from flooding Photo: Todd Schoeder