The Pillow Park Project
With the support of the St. David’s Foundation Parks with Purpose initiative and in collaboration with the Pillow School Park community, we are reconceptualizing how urban school parks can be designed and activated to improve human well-being and biodiversity conservation in cities.
COMMUNITY LED DESIGN - Community parks are a meeting place for humans and urban wildlife alike. If designed correctly, they can be a place to build community and commune with nature. We believe that the people who know best about how a community park should be designed are the community members who use it. That's why we are placing a priority on community input for the upcoming Pillow Park renovations: The best Pillow Park is one that will reflect the needs of the North Shoal Creek neighborhood.
ECOLOGICALLY-INFORMED - Our team has backgrounds in ecology, sustainable landscape design, and outdoor education. Our aim is to listen to Pillow Park community members to design their ideal park while incorporating elements that also optimize the space for biodiversity. Studies show that time spent outdoors, immersed in green spaces with abundant species diversity helps improve the mental and physical well-being of people. We want to create a park that provides nature immersion opportunities and in the process, create healthier habitats for urban wildlife to thrive.
TEAM
Trevor Hance, MA, JD
Executive DIrector and Project Lead, Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center
Jade Florence, PhD
Sustainable Landscape Designer and Community Design Lead, Wilder Co.
Raul Vallejo
Parent Support Specialist and Community Liaison, Pillow Elementary School AISD
Megan O’Connell, PhD
Conservation Botanist and Research/Media Coordinator, Botanical Research Institute of Texas
