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Project Highlight: Tree-Inspired Park Shade Structures for the City of Ontario

By April 25, 2019May 21st, 2019No Comments

In 2015, the City of Ontario was immersed in the revitalization of the city’s downtown area.  Funded by a “State Park Grant,” the City began planning for the creation of Civic Center Community Conservation Park – a 0.5-acre interactive greenspace on the south lawn of City Hall that would include both educational and traditional park features.  The team at Tension Structures was honored to design, manufacture, and install the two tensioned membrane park shade structures that continue to serve as the iconic (and functional) centerpiece to Conservation Park.

Civic Center Community Conservation Park

Located in Southern California’s Inland Empire Region, the City of Ontario is home to more than 175,000 residents.  Ontario, like most communities in the state, has struggled to educate the community on the importance of water conservation and sustainability – so Conservation Park was designed to support those educational goals while creating a community gathering space.

The park’s amenities include:

  • Farm Water Pump
  • Solar House
  • Sun Clock
  • California Native Garden
  • Amphitheatre
  • Hopscotch Board
  • Recycle Sculpture
  • Vegetative, Bio Retention Swale
  • Kid Powered Wind Mill
  • Fossil Dig
  • Playground with Rubberized Surface
  • Picnic Benches
  • Two Park Shade Structures

The Tree-Inspired Park Shade Structures

Addressing both functional and aesthetic goals, the design and engineering team at Tension Structures was tasked with creating park shade structures that would offer a place to escape the sun while also reflecting the environmental design themes.  They pulled inspiration from tree canopies – nature’s naturally passive cooling features.

Similar to tree limbs, the supporting framework “branches” off the trunk-inspired center column, and a green Monotec HDPE shade cloth was chosen to represent a canopy of leaves.

The two structures provide approximately 800-square-feet of shade, and the twists and curves of the custom park shade structures help to maintain the feeling of nature – despite being in the center of the city.

Are Park Shade Structures Right for Your Next Project?

In the Tension Structures Division of Eide Industries, we specialize in design, engineering, manufacturing, and installation of structurally complex and creatively challenging commercial, government, and prototype design projects.  We provide expertise and support for architects, landscape designers, general contractors, and property owners to develop their custom tensile membrane project ideas and construct iconic structures.

Explore the options for your next project.  Contact one of our experts today by calling 800-422-6827.