Concept for Napa's Fuller Park playable art structure is revealed

Napa’s public art steering committee and the parks, recreation, and trees commission held a joint meeting Wednesday to nail down a concept for the structure, which came down to two different nature themes: leaves or trees.

Committee members and commissioners alike agreed that the leaf concept was more aesthetically pleasing and in line with public art, though encouraged designer Dan Wodarcyk to add more shade and ensure the structure is exciting for kids to play on.

Wodarcyk designed the two concepts in partnership with the Fuller Park Playable Art Thematic Committee, which met three times this year to formulate the concepts presented to the groups this week.

Public Art Steering Committee Member Lissa Gibbs felt more drawn to the leaf design and wants Napa’s first playable art structure to be unique.

“I think it’s really important that it be powerfully one of a kind,” Gibbs said.

According to Wodarcyk, the leaf design is intended to look like a sculpture from farther away, with wave shapes and bending tubes that work together. 

The leaf design is more grounded, inspired by leaves falling, with netting for climbing. In the design there is one primary climbing structure with a slide, secondary climbing areas that are more accessible for smaller children and toddlers, swings and space for an accessible merry-go-round. 

Julie Eppich, a public art steering committee member, said that she leaned more into the leaf design because of its aesthetics, but also saw value in the tree concept.

“My general feeling is that the leaves concept is more in-line with public art programs. I have to say I would like to see a combination of these,” Eppich said. 

Wodarcyk’s tree design took on a bit of a traditional play structure feeling, with a forest of bare tree sculptures made from finished wood and brightly colored play structures interspersed for contrast. The trees would range in height from 8 feet to 16 feet, and the structures would include colorful play pods that form tunnels and entries into slides and climbing areas. 

Parks, Recreation and Trees Commissioner Joe Streng seemed adamantly against the tree design, citing a concern that the trees in the design looked dead and unappealing from the street.

“I have a strong concern about the trees model and that anyone driving down Jefferson looking to the left, they may not know it's a playground, and what they’re going to see is some dead sticks,” Streng said. 

Gibbs wasn’t particularly fond of the tree design and said it reminded her of fire damaged trees and also pointed out the lack of shade in both designs. 

“In this community, as you know, we have experience with denuded trees, either because of climate change or because of fires or climate change and fires. That’s not working for me.” Gibbs said.

City council approved the playable art structure project in 2022 but had been in the works since 2021. Last year members of the public pushed back on the project due to its cost at a city council meeting in December, where council voted 4-1 on moving forward with Wodarcyk as project artist. 

Much like the concept, the design is still on the forest floor and Wodarcyk and his team will be going back to the drawing board to add committee member and commissioner feedback.