OVERLAND PARK, KS — The Prairie Gateway Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (PGASLA) has recognized RDG Planning & Design with two design awards. PGASLA, which encompasses the state of Kansas and central and western Missouri, has been honoring outstanding contributions to the practice of landscape architecture since the year 2000. Awards are given in the following categories: Design (built), Design (unbuilt), Planning and Analysis, Research, and Communications.

The two RDG projects recognized include the Thompson Park in Overland Park, Kansas (Merit Award in the Design Built Category) and Big Bull Creek Park Phase One in Edgerton, Kansas (Award of Excellence in the Design Built Category). Awards were conferred during a recent virtual ceremony.

“These awards reflect the hard work, dedication, and strong collaboration between our teams and our clients,” said RDG Partner and Landscape Architect Cary Thomsen, PLA, ASLA. “Both projects are community-centered designs that represent the depth and breadth of RDG’s disciplines and demonstrate how our mission to create meaning together positively impacts communities and improves quality of life.”

Thompson Park was officially dedicated in August 2020 and serves as a greenspace for the Overland Park, Kansas, community. RDG’s design incorporates interactive features to encourage imaginative play, including a splash pad and a play area with crawl tunnel, climbing structure, spinner, swings, and musical instruments. A newly constructed stage features a paper airplane-shaped awning, a nod to the city’s aviation history, and offers a venue for the city to host concerts and other entertainment events.

Big Bull Creek Park Phase One completed in February 2019 creates a park that meets the current needs of Johnson County and the growing Kansas City metropolitan area. RDG’s design for the park focuses on habitat restoration to create a place where nature takes center stage, accommodating a variety of users and nature-based experiences. A trail system takes users from the parking lot to shelters, a natural playground, a Big Bull Creek tributary, and loops out into a restored Kansas prairie. The system also connects to the neighboring Martin Creek Park and will eventually connect to the trail system planned for Big Bull Creek Park.