[3] Prior to becoming an urban environment this area was part of 1.7 million acres of prairie and wetlands[4] including Tanner Creek, which flowed into a superficial lake that the city filled in the 1880s.

[3][8][9] Stripping away the industrial cover helped reconnect the neighborhood with the pre-industrial wetlands, especially Tanner Creek, which ran through the area.

[2][9] The New York Times described it as "a sort of cross between an Italian piazza and a weedy urban wetland with lots of benches perched beside gently running streams.

"[10] The waterscape was designed by architect Herbert Dreiseitl, who spent time hearing from community members[11] and perfecting the sound made by the rushing water.

"[26] In 2019 the Xerces Society referenced Tanner Springs Park as an example of how room for pollinator habitat can be made even in dense urban environments.