In spring, 2015, I got a call from Shelby Farms Conservancy Executive Director Laura Morris asking if I would be interested in working on a project with her. The answer to that question is always yes, because over the past 13 years, every chance I have had to work with her was about something important for Memphis and Shelby County.
This one was too. The board of the Conservancy had voted to honor Barbara Hyde for her leadership in moving the dream of a great park into a $70 million reality. Ms. Morris was thinking a book would be the perfect tribute, and she had a name in mind: Shelby Farms Park: Elevating a City. Later, I would add a sub-title: The Improbable Journey of America’s Great 21st Century Urban Park.
In the ensuing weeks, with construction at a fever pitch, Ms. Morris said that I would be working most often with Jen Andrews, then second in charge of the park and now its chief executive officer. Susan Schadt, former head of Arts Memphis and now publisher/editor of some spectacular books at Susan Schadt Press, joined the team. It is impossible for me to imagine a stronger, more talented team that could be assembled in this community.
Shelby Farms Park: The Improbable Journey of America’s Great 21st Century Urban Park has now been published.
I am proud to be author, but there are chapters written by James Corner of Field Operations, who designed the park; Peter Harnik, founder of the Center for City Park Excellence at the Trust for Public land; Marlon Blackwell, architect for the context sensitive architecture at Shelby Farms Park; Kimbal Musk, co-founder of The Kitchen restaurants; Carol Coletta, senior fellow, American Cities Practice for the Kresge Foundation; Ms. Andrews; and Ms. Morris.
The book is illustrated with glorious images by photographers Justin Fox Burks, Timothy Hursley, Alex MacLean, Murray Riss, and Philip Thomas.
Like the park itself, the book is many things: personal reflections, how-to advice, history, technical insights, and photo essays. It answers inquiries from other cities that are drawing inspiration for their own park projects; it reveals the step-by-step way that leaders refused to settle for “good enough for Memphis.” It pays tribute to an engaged public that protected the land from development, and it acknowledges leaders undeterred from their mission to create something truly exceptional that could inspire the entire community to aim higher and dream bigger.
I say all this to invite you to a book signing next Tuesday, November 28, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Novel book store. All of us who have worked on this book for the past two years are anxious to hear what you think about it.
We hope you will join us.
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The sub-title is totally incorrect.
Overton Park is the essential urban park in Memphis.
Shelby Farms is far more of a suburban park. It’s not even located inside the 240 loop.
That’s about the stupidest comment I’ve ever read. It is wrong in so many ways, I’ll just laugh instead of correcting them.
I live inside the interstate and half way to midtown. I go to Shelby Farms at least three times a week, sometimes more. We are so lucky it wasn’t developed and it is recognized as one of the country’s great parks. You don’t boost one park by trying to tear down another one. I presume you know the difference between 21st century and 20th century.
I live in Cooper Young and definitely consider Shelby Farms to be in s very suburban location.
I’ll be at Novel. Can’t wait to see the book.
Since Shelby Farms is inside Memphis city limits and miles from eastern border, I can’t figure out how it’s in the ‘burbs. Memphis is urban and that includes the park, its surrounding neighborhoods, Cordova. It’s a distinction without a difference to say otherwise.
Overton Park is a city park. Shelby Farms Park is a regional park. Both are great parks. Glad we have both of them. It’s classic Memphis that we can’t celebrate our good fortune and instead have to turn this into an argument of us versus them.
Both parks are good and needed. I would have to weigh in that Shelby Farms is more suburban given its location outside the interstate. Inner city people don’t find it very accessible compared to suburbanites.
I love, love, love Shelby Farms Park, and I don’t care where it is.
Within 15 minute drive, most people in Memphis can reach the park, but it’s past time for MATA to make easier for all Memphians to get all over the city, including SFP.
PS: I’m betting half of the city’s population is outside the interstate, so there’s really no point to talking urban-suburban when all of the county except for northeast and north are urban now.
I doubt that many people in the poorest areas of Memphis ever even go there, or even know what Shelby Farms Park is. It’s not easily accessible for a huge number of citizens. It benefits East Mdmphis and the suburbs most which is typical of this city and county.
You should actually go and see for yourself. Lots of opinions. Paucity of facts. It is highly diverse. How does a regional park only benefit East Memphis and suburbs? That’s ridiculous. Now you just want to be a contrarian. Get some facts first.
I am proud to say that James Corner Field Operations – which designed Shelby Farms Park – received a major international design competition for its “new urban park.”
It is hard for lower income and middle class folks like our family who live in the city to get out to Shelby Farms. Transportation by bus out there is very bad. You have to walk a long way. It seems that this park was designed for people with cars. Overton Park is our only real urban city park. Urban parks are well connected to the citizens. In regards to transportation I’d say Shelby Farms is very poor. More suburban friendly than for city.
Congrats! Like the park, the book is stunning and something to be very proud of.