12 | NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION PRE-PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT RESILIENCE – Environmental resiliency, as defined by EPA, refers to “minimizing environmental risks associated with disasters, quickly returning critical environmental and ecological services to functionality after a disaster while applying this learning process to reduce vulnerabilities and risks to future incidents”.38 Susceptibility to extreme weather events, especially flooding or torrential rainfall, can significantly impact the design of green stormwater infrastructure. Parks in these areas must be constructed of sturdy materials while possibly accommodating flood water and/or contributing to flood mitigation. Parks can be a viable development option in flood-prone areas where buildings would suffer damage. They can be designed to be flexible and sturdy enough to accommodate large amounts of water. The Hunters Point South Waterfront Park in Queens, New York, exemplifies a resilient park that withstood a storm surge during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 while slowing the flow of damaging flood waters.39 Natural areas that are conserved to provide flooding, water quality, and/or wildlife benefits can be used as parks and areas for passive recreation. Examples include Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s Greenseams conservation program40 or the India Basin Shoreline Park in San Francisco, California.41 EXISTING PARK USES – Existing parks may not be conducive to some types of green stormwater infrastructure devices. Compromises between the most effective stormwater treatment devices and community needs may affect design choices. These compromises may include reducing the footprint of installations, relocating them, or locating them underground to avoid conflicts with above-ground uses. For example, park users may object to sports fields being turned into gardens or ponds.42 On the other hand, these “compromises” to accommodate park uses can be mutually beneficial. This was the case in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where park planners addressed community feedback by redesigning the plans for McKinley Park43 to modify the green stormwater infrastructure. This design change created even more opportunities for green stormwater infrastructure than was previously available and increased the stormwater capture potential. Athletic fields in Atlanta, Georgia and installation of a synthetic turf field over a large storage cistern in Alexandria, Virginia show the possibilities for green infrastructure in existing parks. Hunter’s Point South Waterfront Park in New York City incorporates the site’s industrial remnants in the green infrastructure features, such as this rail garden.
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