Lake Skinner Recreation Area

Schmidt Design Group, Inc. provided master plan design for improvements to Lake Skinner Park Recreation Area and Campground. The project utilizes textured gunite walls to mimic the natural mountains in the area. The park incorporates water and traditional play elements that represent the journey water takes as it travels down from the mountains, through the various streams and the California aqueduct to Lake Skinner. A cascading waterfall represents the water descending from the surrounding mountains. The water play area represents water’s journey through nature, where it falls as rain and plays a vital role in the growth of plants and flowers. There is a representative concrete “channel” with the story of the water’s journey etched into it. Finally, there is an oversized faucet in the splash-pad that represents the end of water’s journey when it becomes a part of the commercial and residential water supply. In order to complement the existing 2-12 year old playground, a natural climbing area, which ties in to the open space around the park and various musical play elements were incorporated.
Client: Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District
Location: Riverside, CA