Friends of Clark ParkPlanning Pages

Concepts, Principles, Goals.

In response to the architect's request for specific direction, two text documents and two diagrams were developed.  They are based on our best attempt to synthesis the comments from the public meetings, e-mails, letters, conversations, and good stewardship practices.

Principles to Guide Redesign
adopted by the Friends of Clark Park Board, March 6, 2007

  1. Preserve and Enhance Trees – The trees of Clark Park are of paramount importantance to our community. Every effort should be made to avoid removing large shade trees and new pathways should be installed in accordance with our planting plan. Our planting plan calls for the diversification of species (esp. the reduction of Norway Maples), removal of dead and dying trees, and the augmentation of trees around Park A’s borders.

  2. Minimize Pathways & Increase Green Space – Park A’s pathways determine how the park is used and should be planned to achieve several goals: minimize the number of paths in order to increase green space and minimize the impact upon the trees, follow natural pedestrian pattern in order to achieve an efficient pathway pattern, and vary the width in order to allow for restricted vehicles use on the paths. Additionally, a rain runoff area from Baltimore Avenue can be created by shifting the northern pathway slightly to the south. Increasing green space is simply a good idea. We wish to accommodate the needs of traditional park user groups (volleyball players) and new users (Capture the Flag); while also providing areas for quiet play for families away from the tot lot (perhaps centered around a low climbable structure).

  3. Connect the Gettysburg Stone & Dickens Plaza – The Statue and the Stone are the park’s two biggest historic assets and when connected, they can highlight each other. If the Gettysburg stone needs to be reset or raised for grading, it should be turned to face the civic plaza alignment. In addition, moving it a few feet east would be open to consideration if reduced grading changes that impacted trees.

  4. Design a Civic Plaza that meets the needs of park users in accordance with the goals of the Renewal Plan – The Civic Plaza in Park A should be offset southeast (toward the Dickens Statue). It should create a space for people to congregate and socialize. We clearly wish to create a space that will accommodate the needs of our chess playing community as well as those of other park user groups. Generally, it should create a space that is functional and encourages people to simply sit and enjoy the park.

  5. Enhance the 43rd St Farmer’s Market – The Farmer’s Market is very popular, but has a considerable impact on the physical health of the park. This area should be revised so that the ground and trees are protected and the impact of the Market is minimized. This could be accomplished by using a different surface treatment or expansion of the paved area

Diagrams: Water Retension & Space Use ,  Layout Explaining Intent  .

Central Civic Plaza  -  What it should do:
adopted by the Friends of Clark Park Board, March 6, 2007

Guidelines.
1. Be in keeping with the concepts already agreed upon (starting with the Master Plan)
2. Preserving trees is of primary importance.
3. Works to connect the two monuments visually and physically.
note: If Gettysburg stone needs to be raised for grading or resetting, it should be turned to face Dickens.
(OK to move as much as 15 to 20' East if would preserve trees due to grading etc)

Primary function is for socializing and gathering.
1. Create a space that draws people for casual socializing and civil discourse.
2.  Concentrates usage of organized events into one paved area allowing the rest of the park to be used for other activities.
3. Preserves the nooks that make our park neat and creates new ones.
4.  Includes all users groups.

Overall relation to other spaces - pulls park together.
1.  Not a "barrier" between open areas  - running and play can go across or around.

Construction design to be efficient and sufficient.
Make the most effective arrangement of paving.
1. Large enough that people are not cramped but would have benches grouped to facilitate interaction.
2. Increase seating area
3.  Large enough to allow activities that otherwise damage grassy areas.
  (including, room for light service vehicles to get by and seup of tables but not including port-a-potties)

Runoff.
1. Designed so walk and seating areas do not puddle up
2. Does not block the flow of water to drain areas.
3. Work with Water Dept to consider uses space to help with larger storm water management issues.

Design Program for the Revised 'A' Park Pathway Plan  (adopted by the FoCP Board 12/05/2006)
Goal:  Design a functional circulation system that can sustain event activities on paved surfaces and expand green areas for a range of passive to recreational park activities.

1. Primary pedestrian circulation is oriented around a diagonal axes that runs NE/SW and SE/NW. At least one of these axis should be able to accommodate service and event vehicles.

2. A secondary circulation path accommodates movement within the Park. These paths form an internal loop and should be shifted to the periphery to create large undivided green spaces. These paths should be off limits to vehicles - primarily pedestrian use.

3. The central plaza becomes longer and narrower, creating a wide promenade that connects the Gettysburg Stone and Dickens Statue. This a NW/SE axis becomes a strong gathering area.  Underground stormwater management should be incorporated into the design of this axis.

4. In the layout and detailing of the NE/SW axis, the design preserves as many significant trees as possible and utilize existing impervious areas where possible.

5. The design acknowledges that trees will be lost, but seeks to preserve as many significant trees as possible. Emphasis is placed on maintaining the periphery areas with large trees (and replacing as they are lost).  Further within the park, the option remains to replace trees naturally lost, or to open up the interior to provide light to support turf growth.  With those parameters, paths are routed away from significant trees and toward failing or undesirable trees.

6. Sight lines from 43rd Street Sidewalk to catch Eastbound trolleys to be kept open. (That is, to see the trolley approach on Chester Avenue about 47-46th Street, at the same time as viewing the approach from Baltimore Avenue about 45-44th St.)
LNG Nov. 26, 2006 revised/mg

Principles to Guide Design

1. Preserve large trees - make every effort to avoid removing large shade trees and install new pathways in accordance with our planting plan. Our planting plan calls for diversification of species, removal of dead and dying trees, elimination of Norway Maples), and  augmentation of trees around our border areas.

2. Minimize pathways by eliminating redundancies and vary their width according to planned vehicular use - install the new pathways where people actually walk. Although we would prefer that no vehicles be used in the park, that is unrealistic; vary the width so as to allow
for service vehicle usage on some of the pathways and minimize (or eliminate) it on others. Also by shifting the northern path a little to the south, we can create an area to capture rain run-off from Baltimore Avenue.

3. Increase green-space as much as possible - simply because it is a good idea. It also will accommodate the needs of traditional park user groups (volleyball players) and new users (Capture the Flag); while also providing areas for quiet play for families away from the tot lot
(perhaps centered around a low, climbable structure).

4. Connect the Gettysburg Stone and Dickens plaza visually - these are the park's two biggest historic assets, by creating a visual connection we can further highlight these deserving monuments.

5. Design a civic plaza that meets the needs of park users in accordance with the goals of the Renewal Plan (aka Master Plan) - the plaza should create a space for people to congregate and socialize. Further, the plaza should further accommodate the needs of our chess playing community, as well as other park user groups. It should be functional and not create unused space.

6. Enhance the Farmer's Market with appropriate surface treatment - this will preserve the ground and protect the trees, while creating a positive space for this heavily used area.

Comments, Suggestions on the Principles are welcome, e-mailClark Park planning Blog.