Summit Lake Prototyping

In the early 20th century, Summit Lake was a thriving and bustling amusement park, dance hall, and beach destination. However, with the rise of tire manufacturing in the 1950s, the lake became polluted by waste runoff and was quickly abandoned. Decades later, Summit Lake has been restored to its original glory, supplying a once-forgotten community with a beautiful lake park. Fishing, boating, picnicking, and gathering is once again a common theme in this re-imagined and revitalized community. Hundreds of liriope was donated by an avid gardener from the community, and the wood chips were donated by a local tree removal company. Akron was one of five cities chosen by the foundation for the prototype, and Summit Lake was one of three parks in the area being tested, so budget concerns weighed heavily. Meeting the communities’ desires while staying under budget was critical for the project to be a long term success.