Warren Riverview Park was slated to be completed second of three major parks planned for the City of Derby, Kansas. At the time, the land intended for the park was used as a contaminated dump site and public works yard for the City. The contaminated soil was removed by integrating the Voluntary Cleanup and Property Redevelopment Program (VCPRP). After planning for this 5-acre park began, a vision started to form. The City acknowledged that most of its other parks gravitated towards a younger audience, but this park could be a space for adventure for those 12 years old and older. Another objective was for the park to serve as a gateway for visitors entering the City from the west and to use the 16’ cliff on the Arkansas River to allow access for fishing, kayaking, and other recreational activities.

Key features of Warren Riverview Park include an adventure playground, access to the river, and The Lodge. The playground includes a custom ropes course with boulder climbing walls and a large pinnacle climbing structure that reaches close to 30’ tall at the spire. A complete circuit around this playground can be made without touching the ground. Additionally, this area is located on the banks of the Arkansas River, and the park was designed to flood. The terraces allow the park to be used at different levels as the water rises. It is also a hot spot to canoe and kayak. The Lodge is a 1,400 SF rentable facility that resembles lodges found in Yellowstone or Yosemite and features heavy timber beams, a slate-style roof, stacked stone columns, fireplace, and glass to capture river views and wildlife. The facility can host small events, gatherings, or other meetings offering audio-visual capabilities. The park was ultimately named in memory of Ray and Virginia Warren who were vital supporters of Derby’s growth. The park even features a totem pole depicting their family, carved by their son Danny Ray.

The Warren Riverview Park will serve as a cornerstone for gathering and play for the City of Derby for years to come. From the outstanding facility to the beautiful landscape around it, this park will bring people of all ages together.

The Warren Riverview Park won the national 2018 APWA National Award for Small Cities/Rural Communities Structures Award, the 2020 Prairie Gateway Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects PGASLA Award and was featured in the January 2020 issue of the American Society of Landscape Architect’s national magazine Landscape Architecture Magazine.

SERVICES
Electrical
Geotechnical
Landscape Architecture
Mechanical
Structural
Survey

PROJECT SIZE
1,400 SF (Indoor Facility)
5 Acres

COMPLETION DATE
2016