CARL JUNCTION MISSOURI :A VISION FOR THE GREEN SYSTEM
CARL JUNCTION MISSOURI A VISION FOR THE GREEN SYSTEM HAMMONS SCHOOL of ARCHITECTURE CENTER for COMMUNITY STUDIES STUDIO SPRING 2012
Project Team:
Andrew Allmon Paden Chambers Zachary Davisson Ismail Diken Drew Kemp-Baird Samuel McBride Emily McVey Jacquelyn Paulsmeyer Alexander Price Jacob Roberts Kevin Rogan Mathew Stockstill Faculty Advisor:
Jayon You
We would like to extend our gratitude to the entire community of Carl Junction for their hospitality, openness, and willingness to cooperate with us throughout the visioning process. A special thank you to the following who served on the Visioning Committee, government officials, and others who helped out in the process:
Ladonna Allen Tom Asbell Dixie Asbell David Boren Jim Chaligoj Steve Daniels Mary Forbis Ron Forbis Walter Hayes Steve Lawver Maribeth Matney Jane Mitchell Mike Moss Pat Smith Gary Stubblefield Dawn Trujillo AJ Whistler Tammy Winnet Richard Zaccardelli Veterans of Carl Junction Carl Junction United Methodist Church
INTRODUCTION
1
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
3
Methodology Historical Economic Environmental Social Synthesis
5 6 11 13 18 25
OVERALL STRATEGY
27
HUBS & PARKS
47
Goals & Objectives Precedent Studies: Green Systems Park System Movement System Local Food Production Waste Management System Economic Development Strategy Composite & Phasing
Overall Parks Concept Hubs: Downtown Center Creek Carl Junction Environmental Hub Parks: North Athletic Complex Memorial Park Timeline Park Lakeside Park Four Oaks Park Country Club Park Composite & Phasing
CONCLUSION
29 30 36 37 40 41 42 44
48
51 61 71 79 89 99 109 121 125 133
137
INTRODUCTION Carl Junction is a town that is poised for a huge population growth over the next few decades. As the Southwest Missouri region grows, Carl Junction is finding its niche as a bedroom community to larger cities in the area. With a plethora of natural resources that Carl Junction is endowed with, this new identity is accompanied by the desire for an enhanced green system that would better promote overall wellness and quality of life in town and around the region. To help facilitate developing the vision of green system, Carl Junction contacted Drury University’s Center for Community Studies. The process of collaboration began with the Research & Analysis phase to gain a holistic understanding of the community from ground up. This phase included a workshop with the Visioning Committee – formed by the city government to represent varying demographics across Carl Junction. The workshop served as a platform for getting to know the issues, assets and challenges of the community and served as a basis for formulating the vision. The first presentation of the ideas to the community after the workshop focused on generating an overall strategy for developing a green system at the city-wide scale – addressing the sectors of parks, movement, food and waste as well as economic development, and how they would work together as a system. Based on the community feedback, the second presentation to the community focused on the proposed design of individual parks that were strategized at the citywide scale. The proposals were further revised based on the community feedback, the final versions of which have been compilated in this book. All proposals, both at citywide and park scales, are accompanied by phasing, as a guidance for implementation.
INTRODUCTION 1.
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RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
3.
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Methodology To begin envisioning a future green system for implementation in Carl Junction, an extensive Research & Analysis phase was conducted. The information was gathered through literature research, field research as well as meeting with the Visioning Committee to get an in-depth understanding of the community from the residents’ perspective. Four sectors of the community life were targeted in the research – historic, economic, environmental and social. The gathered information has then been translated into interpretive mapping, where possible. The following section presents a compilation of the Research and Analysis phase, which incorporates community input.
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS_ METHODOLOGY 5.
Historical Carl Junction since its inception, experienced several distinct periods, from its original platting as a railroad junction and mining town, to an industrial-economic hub of Southwest Missouri and finally to its current post-industrial status as a bedroom community. By interviewing local residents, researching information at local libraries and the Carl Junction city archives, several historical layers emerged that proved to be significant in understanding the importance and connection of history to the future green system. Early Years (1884-1891) Mammoth skeleton found in Carl Junction, Missouri (1890)
Electric trolley line (1907)
Joplin and Pittsburg electric railway car
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Founded in 1884, Carl Junction has a unique history centered around mining and the railroad culture that proved to be relevant information in the cities future green system. The physical location of the city was formed at the intersection of two major rail lines of the Frisco Railroad and helped the city prosper into an economic and social hub. Along with the presence of the railroad, lead and zinc mining was a major industry found throughout Southwest Missouri, known as the Tri-State Mining District, which became a key component of the city’s development. Carl Junction became an asset to the region due to its rapid growth of industry, but it wasn’t until the discovery of four mammoth skeletons while sinking a mineshaft in 1892 that the town was acknowledged on a national scale. The complete mammoth skeletons were sent to the 1893 Columbian Exposition and though the actual mammoth skeletons locations are currently unknown, the event has remained a focal point and source of city pride in Carl Junction’s history.
Growth of the Community (1892-1959) Due to the vast number of mining operations in Southwest Missouri, an electrified trolley system known as the Joplin and Pittsburg Electric Railway was established in 1907. The system had lines traveling as far west as Pittsburg Kansas and as far south and west as Joplin and Carthage. Transporting miners to and from lead and zinc mines daily, the line ran through Carl Junction along what is now Broadway Street, allowing for Carl Junction to be connected with nearby towns.
Current view of Carl Junction With historical content in 1948
Christmas Parade 1950, Main Street, Carl Junction
Historic Amos Park, found in Carl Junction, Missouri.(1936 - 1948)
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS_ HISTORICAL 7.
The close proximity of lead and zinc mines to Carl Junction brought the dynamite and explosives industry to Carl Junction. The Home Powder Company, a manufacturer of explosives used in mining and extraction opened in 1908 south of Center Creek. The Home Powder was a facility later used by the DuPont de Numours Company. Once under the DuPont name, the plant became a community institution, giving back to the community in the form of tax dollars for the school system and a swimming pool for the citizens’ use, known as Spiva Pool. By the 1920’s Carl Junction was flourishing, which was the reason for locating the county’s consolidated school district there. Along with the increase in the size of the school district, a corresponding increase in population and social life. New job opportunities were created through the expansion of the DuPont plant to more than 600 acres.
DuPont plant workers card
Also at this time, the festival known as Bingville, created in 1910 as an annual event celebrating civic history and pride, continued to become popular throughout Jasper County. Around the same time, many of the important figures in Carl Junction’s history, such as Frank Dean, Everett Shiaray, and the Roney Family, continued to give back to the city, becoming pillars of the community.
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Home Powder Company , Carl Junction, Missouri (1908)
DuPont swimming pool ruins, found south of Center Creek (1924)
Economic Decline (1960-1979) The 1960’s and 1970’s brought the first real challenge to Carl Junction. The closure and abandonment of the 600 acre explosives plant owned by DuPont in 1961 led to job loss in the city. Due to a lack of lead and zinc being mined, the Joplin and Pittsburg Electric Railroad was shut down in 1936 followed by the Frisco Lines in 1977. To spur growth, the abandoned dynamite plant was sold to a developer with the hope that a subdivision built on the site would attract future homeowners from nearby communities. Country Club Estates was established first on the site, followed by Briarbrook Country Club, which helped to draw more people to Carl Junction.
Briarbrook subdivision
Around this time, developer Spike Malugin built his own community featuring the private Oscie-Ora Lake, to the east of Highway 171. Other developments soon followed, bringing more people to Carl Junction, and expanding the city out from its original footprint, confined between Center Creek to the south and the original rail junction to the north. This rapid growth of the city was constrained by the Highway 171 corridor, which included a still-active rail line. In addition, the town continued to be divided by Center Creek. The separation and limitation of the city created connection problems both physically and socially that persist to this day. Current Context (1980-present)
Carl Junction High School
Recognizing the need to occupy a different niche in the wake of the town’s previous industrial economy, Carl Junction’s city leaders have begun to move towards the adoption of the ethos of a bedroom community. The residents and city leaders understand that Carl Junction’s role should not be to compete with larger neighboring communities but to provide a comfortable and safe community for their residents to live. This bedroom community attitude has proven successful, with the population doubling in the past 30 years, the median home value raising 30% since 2000, and a new school and community center built to suit the recreational needs of a growing population. A strong sense of connectivity, a founding principle of Carl Junction, has become nonexistent in current years and in order for the city to continue to grow and prosper, this issue must be addressed.
Community Center
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS_ HISTORY 11.
Economic Carl Junction is a city that since 1970 has tripled in size and population. Between 2000 and 2009 alone, the population increased by 40%. This is largely in part due to the small town atmosphere and high quality of life Carl Junction strives to achieve. As the city promoted itself as an ideal place to raise a family, the population has expanded, creating a demand for developers to expand on already established communities such as Briarbrook and Oscie-Ora, and adding new housing on the north side of the town. The city of Carl Junction operates primarily through property taxes generated by its residents. Due to limited economic activity, the town generates only a marginal amount of sales tax. Current Consumption and Movement Patterns
Current regional economic nodes
Current consumption patterns
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In terms of growth, the citizens of Carl Junction expressed they would look towards more locally owned specialty stores instead of the “big box� chain stores. By creating locally owned specialty stores, residents from surrounding communities could travel to Carl Junction for a unique shopping experience that would create more tax revenue from not just local citizens but surrounding residents as well. Residents suggested locating economic hubs or nodes in old downtown and in Briarbrook, locations that are easily accessible to both residents and visitors.
The development of economic nodes throughout Carl Junction could spur the development of an economic corridor and mixed-use developments located along main transportation corridors through Carl Junction. Carl Junction has the potential to become more than just a “bedroom community� by fostering areas of economic development both commercial and mixed use, that will allow for local and regional income and property tax generation.
Current traffic patterns in Carl Junction
Desired traffic pattern, moving into Carl Junction
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS_ ECONOMIC 11.
Economic Development Strategies The workshop with the Visioning Committe revealed three alternative proposals for development: Vision One
Vision One: Central Economic Hub System
Community residents suggested focusing on future economic development by reestablishing downtown Carl Junction as a center of urban development in the form of an economic hub. Downtown Carl Junction already acts as an urban center comprising of the entire school system complex, all municipal entities and the few remaining businesses. However, downtown has a potential for further growth in the form of urban infill. Several vacant storefronts along with open lots of land can serve as future businesses and potential tax generators. The nearby school complex generates considerable traffic through downtown, and many students linger in the area until 5:00 p.m. currently an untapped form of tax generation. Main Street, located downtown, has historically served as Carl Junction’s economic center and has the potential to once again become an epicenter of economic rebirth. In order to accomplish this, Main Street will have to overcome issues such as a resistance to establishments such as bars and restaurants that, though may not be unanimously accepted by the entire community, have the potential to bring both residents and visitors downtown. Vision Two
Vision Two: Nodes System
Another suggestion from the community for economic development came in the form of a “nodal growth system.” Located at specific areas of the city such as Main and Pennel as well as Briarbrook and Fir Road, these nodes have the potential to stimulate economic growth in Carl Junction. Located at a main access point for Briarbrook residents, the southern node on Fir Road could encourage local residents to spend income at a location close to home instead of neighboring cities. The southern node could potentially generate considerable revenue for the city considering the area is home to high-income residents. While establishing a thriving downtown is the primary goal, establishing a second node of commerce for southern Carl Junction should benefit residents in the city. Vision Three
Vision Three: Niche-oriented Development
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A final suggestion that came from the community was a niche oriented style of development. This style of development would mean the establishment of many small economic hubs situated around the city. The positions in the city that surfaced as the ones having the most promise to do well were downtown, the mammoth site, the intersection of highway 171 and Pennel St., country club park, Highway 171 and Fur Rd., and the intersection of JJ and Pennel St. These 7 places in the city are the hot spots for economic development in the city because they were either economic hubs in the past or they are key intersections of high density traffic ways in the city. In the development of these economic niches they would be established and inhabited with small boutiqe type stores and not catering to the “big-box” developments, further establishing this city as a destination point and spurring economic growth for Carl Junction.
Environmental Carl Junction has seven different parks and two main trails that run through the town. The parks have different functions from athletic fields to a memorial park. The parks can also be divided by who uses them, what use they have, and by what side of town they are on. Center Creek creates a natural barrier between the North and South areas of Carl Junction. The wooded area around Center Creek is home to a majority of Carl Junction’s wildlife Center Creek Park and Frank Dean Ball Complex are the only two parks that are widely used by the whole town, whereas the other parks are mainly used by the neighborhoods surrounding them. While most of the parks located in the north end are used for specific events and functions, all of the southern parks are primarily used for their playgrounds. The floodplain is a large physical barrier that separates the parks from the north side to the south. When discussing these parks with city residents and officials, the consensus was that the northern parks should remain urban while the southern parks should be more natural. There were also requests to reorganize the functions throughout the parks in order to increase city-wide use. New functions were requested for specific parks, for instance, a veteran’s memorial was asked to be installed in memorial park. An improved recycling system was expressed by residents as well as an interest in growing and using local food. Overall we attempted to heed to these requests but still incorporate our own ideas and concepts into the green system planning.
Existing parks
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS_ ENVIRONMENTAL 13.
Existing Parks System
Center Creek Park
The parks system found in Carl Junction contains many parks that range in size and function from athletics fields and sports complexes to the natural settings of Ozark ecosystems. Though the parks are scattered throughout Carl Junction an attempt to connect some of them in the form of trails exists and is a work in progress. Each park in its current state has a given groups and is divided by location within the city limits. Center Creek serves as a natural barrier between the North and South sides of Carl Junction, with residents in the north using northern parks as well as southern residents using the southern parks. This natural barrier along with the annual threat of flooding along Center Creek has proved to be problem in reconnecting the northern and southern sides of the city. As it currently stands, Center Creek Park and Frank Dean Sports Complex are the only two parks that are widely used by the community; the remaining parks of the city are used by their neighboring citizens. While all parks found in Carl Junction have their own unique environmental conditions, most of the parks located in the northern half of the city are used for specific events and functions southern parks are primarily undefined. Center Creek Park Located along the banks of Center Creek, Center Creek Park is representative as the “city park” for Carl J u n c t i o n also serving as the location of an annual bluegrass and crafts festival bringing close to 10,000 people annually to Carl Junction. The park currently houses a mixture of functions including: municipal swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, sand volleyball pits, picnic shelters and pavilion and a playground area. The community raised a number of concerns about the park, including the lack of informal performance space or pavilion for the bluegrass festival as well as the constant threat of flooding of Center Creek. Frank Dean Sports Complex Frank Dean Sports Complex is adjacent to Center Creek Park and is used primarily for athletics including baseball, softball and soccer. The park also is used for the annual firefighter softball tournament and the location for the annual 4th of July fireworks display. Due to parks proximity to Center Creek, annual flooding occurs creating a number of major maintenance issues for the baseball diamonds. The community expressed a need to move the baseball fields out of the park to a more suitable location, replacing them with a sport or activity that requires less infrastructure and maintenance. Memorial Park
Memorial Park
Memorial Park occupies two blocks on the north side of Carl Junction along the main thoroughfare of Pennell Street. The park currently houses a baseball field, playground, picnic tables and a large un-programmed field. The community expressed the creation of a veteran’s memorial at this location with a flowing landscape and an opportunity for a community garden along with a public pavilion.
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Lakeside Park Located on the southern side of Carl Junction, Lakeside Park was previously a nine hole golf course that due to a lack of use was purchased by the city and turned into a public park. After the city bought the land, the former golf course was restored to a natural state, aside from the existing golf cart paths. The park has a number of lakes that are used on occasion for catch and release fishing by the local residents though the lack of access to the park makes it difficult to find. Currently the park is primarily used by the neighborhoods surrounding it, though much of the park appears to be in the back yards of the houses that surround it. The community expressed the desire to keep the park as natural as possible. Four Oaks Park Sitting within a residential community on the east side of Highway 171, Four Oaks Park is primarily used by the surrounding neighborhood. The community expressed the need for the park to be more accessible to surrounding neighborhoods. The use of the park is currently determined by the residents that live near it and changes as residents move in or leave the neighborhood.
Lakeside Park
Country Club Park Country Club Park is located on the southern edge of town and currently houses a basketball court, picnic shelter, playground and a combination concession stand and rest room. The park also contains a large field that is currently used for soccer. The residents around the park expressed an opportunity to expand the idea of using parts of the park for athletic functions, hoping to draw more people to the park, giving it a stronger identity. Four Oaks Park
Country Club Park
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS_ ENVIRONMENTAL 15.
Existing Trails Carl Junction’s current trail system uses past railroads as pathways. The two trails, Ruby Jack and Thomas Station do not currently meet eachother, but instead come up a few blocks short. The Thomas Station trail is more frequently used because it runs through the center of town, while the Ruby Jack trail is located on the northern end. Both trails are covered in gravel and are roughly 6 feet wide. As of now, no two parks are connected by the trails, which does not take advantage of a great link opportunity. The Carl Junction residents stressed a desire to see these trails meet and extend to other parks. There are some areas between the two trails and parks where footpaths have been created. These footpaths could help fill in any missing connections, further completing Carl Junction’s green system. Ruby Jack Trail Stretching between the Kansas state line and Carthage, Missouri, the Ruby Jack Trail is a 16-mile stretch on the now-abandoned railway of the Frisco Railroad. The trail is under the organization of the Missouri Rails to Trails program, which hopes to make the former railway into a permanent asphalt trail passing through Carl Junction. With the removal of the railroad ties and tracks the trail sits undeveloped. Currently, local kids travel between the community center, school and their homes along the overgrown railway, however it lacks a necessary connection to any other trail or sidewalk in the city. Thomas Station Trail Running from the northern side of Carl Junction to the southern, the Thomas Station Trail is the first attempt to connect both sides of the city, via a ¾ mile long pedestrian footpath that spans the floodplain and Center Creek. Though the path does make a pedestrian connection between both sides of the city, the trail lacks any destination to attract usage. Current parks and missing links
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Floodplain Created by the flooding of Center Creek, the floodplain occupies the land between the northern and southern edges of Carl Junction, in which annual flooding encroaches upon Center Creek Park and Frank Dean Sports Complex, damaging park infrastructure and causing trash problems. A conceptual solution to the flooding is the creation of a large lake between the bluffs to the south and Center Creek Park to the north. A proposed dam would be located near Joplin Street flooding the empty forested area, directly south of Center Creek. Wildlife Carl Junction is home to various common types of southwest Missouri wildlife. Most of the wildlife resides in natural and wooded areas around Center Creek inside the city limits. Some of the wildlife found in Carl Junction includes turkey, deer, bobcats, foxes, falcons, owls eagles, fish and an occasional bear. Existing Food Network The Carl Junction school cafeteria advertises that meals are made for students with local produce. Upon further investigation, the ‘local’ farms were actually more than two hours away from Carl Junction. Community members expressed an interest in the expansion of a local produce market in the form of community gardens and a possible farmers market that previously occurred in the city though a lack of interest lead to its demise.
Wildlife and wetland zones
Existing Waste Management Practices The recycling operations in Carl Junction are still developing and offer minimal drop-off locations including the community center and post office. These drop-off points are recent installations and there has been a recent push to offer a better recycling system. The nearest recycling center is in Springfield and this offers a number of obstacles for Carl Junction in the form of funding and space for recyclables to be stored before they are shipped to Springfield.
Local recycling and waste management areas
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS_ ENVIRONMENTAL 17.
Social As it swells in population, Carl Junction seems to be finding its place internally and within the greater context of the Southwestern Missouri region. The mayor’s office and citizens both pride themselves on offering a “higher quality of life” by creating an incubatory environment by supporting niches and specialties deemed important. However, the town currently suffers from a series of geographic, political, and economic divides which must be mended to promote continued growth. After discussions and conversations with the citizens of Carl Junction, many of these divides have been revealed themselves to be much stronger than expected. Socially, the members of the town are defined and constrained by these divides. There were repeated mentions of each ‘neighborhood’ existing apart from one another and residents told us there was a common theme of “Briarbrook vs. Everyone.”
Existing social anchors
The majority of the members of the Visioning Committee, (and most of the other residents interviewed) were from neighborhoods other than Briarbrook, which created a predisposition away from the neighborhood in our findings. Because of this, the document may appear to be biased, when in fact this was due to reports of residents. This is indicative of the entire town’s fractured condition.
Existing Social Anchors Residents spoke of Carl Junction’s status as a “bedroom community,” which means people work, shop, and do leisure activities in nearby towns. This further contributes to the fragmentation of the town. Many residents of Carl Junction would say the social life is almost non-existent. As a community member said, “If you are doing something tonight, it’s not going to be in Carl Junction.” However, there are a few places, organizations, and events that bring together many people of the town, such as the newly constructed Community Center and the Bluegrass Festival. Community Center Constructed in 2010, the community center is a positive addition to Carl Junction. Many residents circulate through the building daily, using the facility to exercise, play sports, hold community meetings, and as a space for casual social activity. It is a very versatile space that can be used by the old and young and all four neighborhoods of town. In addition, the building contains all the necessary civic functions and offices, such as the Mayor’s office, administrative offices, the Chamber of Commerce, and a boardroom for community/government meetings. This functionality combined with a senior center component and the sports facilities produce a versatile and multi-functional space that supports nearly all age groups, and is in use nearly all the time. Community Center
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School System The school is perhaps the most socially binding public organ in town. It has served as a draw for young family-oriented professionals in the region who desire a high quality of education for their children. Carl Junction residents look to the school as a source of pride. The residents are active in supporting the school, including financially through taxes. The school is a main contributor to social life in Carl Junction through athletic events and other extracurricular activities, and creates a strong relationship with the rest of the community, through athletics, choir, band events, or working with outside organizations like Habitat for Humanity. The school plays a big role in the annual Christmas Parade, which is one of the town’s few unifying social events. Parks During the summers, children in Carl Junction (as in, those that can’t drive yet) have very little to do. As told by one resident, the summer months usually find the parks system being treated as “a babysitter”, with parks being full of school-aged children. This leads to problems, as currently the parks do not support this demand and have only a bare minimum of programmed activities. As a result, residents have cited numerous and repeated acts of vandalism (graffiti, destruction of park equipment) and minor thefts (concession stand items). Survey data of the town reveals that most residents use the parks sparingly. Some uses include using the parks for walking paths or family recreation, but not much else.
Social Events & Organizations The biggest civic event held in Carl Junction is the Bluegrass Festival, which is a highlight of the year and located in Center Creek Park. It is estimated that 9,000-10,000 people come to the event. This event helps bring together all of Carl Junction, minus the people of Briarbrook. A prominent organization in town is the Garden Club, which undertakes several beautification projects each year. Past projects include an entry sign and garden at Pennell Street and Highway 171, welcoming visitors to the town. The Club also participates in other planting project downtown and is an important social nexus for like-minded individuals. Another social element is the Bulldog Youth Athletic Association (BYAA), which is a system of independent youth athletics functioning within the town. This offers activities to younger children and an opportunity for public interface among adults. Churches also form an important component of the town’s social fabric, with most residents being members of congregations. This extends to Carl Junction’s youth population—residents spoke of Wednesday as being “church night” among children as they attend youth groups weekly.
End of classes at high school
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS_ SOCIAL 19.
Neighborhood Demographics Carl Junction is composed of four distinct neighborhoods. Carl Junction Proper, the old town, is located north of Center Creek and to the west of Highway 171, grouped around the original railroad junction. Briarbrook and Country Club neighborhoods are both situated west of Highway 171 as well, but south of the Center Creek floodplain. Oscie Ora is isolated from the rest of the town by the Highway 171 corridor and immediately abuts the nearby town of Airport Drive. Carl Junction Proper Many residents of the ‘old’ town surrounding the initial rail crossing referred to the area as “Carl Junction Proper”. The neighborhood occupies the area to the north of Central Creek and exists atop the ‘original’ town of Carl Junction, lending the area its small, narrow lots and gridded fabric. Residents are often retirees or older working-class individuals, with a mid-income salary base and tend to be more conservative politically.
Income discrepancy among neighborhoods
The residents of Carl Junction Proper make up the majority of those attending townwide events and see the most impact from projects like the Community Center. Many of these residents have lived in Carl Junction their whole lives, and their families have lived in the town for generations. This gives some of these residents a level of respect that other citizens can’t attain without years of being a resident themselves. Briarbrook Briarbrook is a neighborhood mostly full of young professionals and their families, along with ‘old money’ retirees and from-home small-business owners. The neighborhood’s layout is by far the most traditionally ‘suburban’ in Carl Junction, with long, winding streets terminating in cul-de-sacs. The workshop with the Visioning Committee revealed that the members form a powerful political lobby when united, and have fought governmental intrusions into their sphere, including a proposal to build ‘affordable’ housing in the neighborhood. There’s a deep social disconnect with the rest of Carl Junction, with residents traditionally saying they don’t live in the town at all, instead saying they live in Briarbrook. Residents also do not usually attend town events, including the Bluegrass Festival and Summer Classic. The residents of Briarbrook more typically relate themselves to Joplin than they do to Carl Junction. They work and spend their leisure time in Joplin, spending as little time as possible in Carl Junction. These residents are willing to spend the extra money for private tutoring, sports lessons, and special equipment to encourage and enforce their children’s successes. Residents shared numerous accounts of personal animosity directed towards the people of Briarbrook from residents of other areas of Carl Junction, and vice versa.
Age divisions among neighborhoods
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Country Club Though it directly abuts Briarbrook, Country Club is more closely related economically and demographically with the rest of Carl Junction. The residents are predominantly young and middle-aged working class families. It’s an entirely ‘closed’ neighborhood. There are no vehicular connections through the neighborhood besides the entrance/exit, and a trip along Fir Lane or Highway 171 is required to get nearly anywhere. Country Club’s physical disconnect and proximity to Carl Junction have effectively marginalized the neighborhood. Throughout interviews, conversations, and research, there was a disproportionately small amount of discourse on Country Club’s social frameworks. Any that did mention the area referred to it in relation to other neighborhoods—never on its own. Oscie Ora Oscie Ora is to the east of Highway 171 and directly north of the village of Airport Drive. Residents expressed multiple times that “Oscie Ora should annex Airport Drive, or rather they should annex us.” In fact, there were more comments made about Oscie Ora in relation to Airport Drive then there were about Oscie Ora to Carl Junction. Oscie Ora suffers an extreme disconnect from Carl Junction in the form of the Highway 171 corridor, which is impenetrable to pedestrian traffic and somewhat daunting to vehicles as well. The subdivisions within Oscie Ora are small, mainly consisting of retirees and young families, and are reportedly rather quiet.
Political views across neighborhoods
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS_ SOCIAL 21.
Social Divide The most prevalent divide present in Carl Junction would be the one between the Briarbrook neighborhood and, in a phrase, “everyone else”. There is an animosity that exists between the two factions that is by no means covert or attempted to be kept quiet; residents we talked with spoke about it quite freely. The divide is economic (Briarbrook is upper-middle class and consists mostly of younger professionals, ‘Old Carl’, Country Club, and Oscie Ora neighborhoods are predominantly low- to middle-class), political (Briarbrook is generally more left-of-center on the political spectrum), and physical (Center Creek and its attendant floodplain divide Briarbrook from everyone else—the only way to travel between ‘Old Carl’ and Briarbrook is by exiting city limits to get on Highway 171). Children
Physical boundaries
K-12 grade children in Carl Junction also speak of the ‘Briarbrook versus everyone’ mentality. Instead of a mutual animosity, students spoke of how Briarbrook enjoys a certain status: social events and parties occur in Briarbrook. Students from Briarbrook dominate sports teams and competitive events, largely because their parents put them in lessons and club teams during their formative years, much to the chagrin of other students who view this lopsidedness as unfair. Interviews also revealed that Briarbrook and Carl Junction students reportedly make a point to avoid each other socially, though they use the same facilities (such as the Community Center). The majority of students arrive after school with friends to play casually until their parents pick them up; Briarbrook kids generally arrive hours later for practices or league play, at which point the previous users leave, like clockwork. Surveyed high school students repeatedly expressed that they worked in Webb City and spend their nights and weekends in Joplin. The surveys uniformly described the town as “boring”. Some students said that they liked Carl Junction’s feel and small town status, they just wished there was something to do or that they had a place they could meet. Parents Interviews of parents and older residents of Carl Junction maintain the status quo. As children grow up, their social respect for Briarbrook turns into a tired contempt. As the two neighborhoods seem to have largely the same intentions (supporting the school system and other community elements) but the distinct lack of public interaction makes it hard to forge lasting social bonds. Briarbrook residents admittedly don’t attend Carl Junction events, which are a large community draw to everyone else; creating what residents term an ‘Ivory Tower’.
Social anchors by use
.22 RESEARCH & ANALYSIS_ SOCIAL
Conclusion Currently, Carl Junction’s social life is lacking. The town can simply not compete with other towns in the region in terms of entertainment infrastructure due to its small bedroom community status. The anchors that do exist, such as the Community Center, parks, and school, are not sufficient to generate social life. This is because of a lack of patronage engendered by the absence of maintenance and functionality in these spaces—a fundamental flaw that will have to be rectified for the town to offer recreational opportunities. The parks, particularly, fail to properly support the town. They become social destinations for school children during the summers. By necessity—they do not have other common social spaces to go and so they congregate in the least supervised location, the parks. These offer a social experience largely free from authoritative or parental intrusion, which can lead to further problems of vandalism. Through design, the parks can become analogous to these active social spaces. These spaces often promote time spent within them, as well as entertainment and social interface, all subtly watched over by an omnipresent watcher, usually in the form of security personnel or cameras. In the parks, this role can be subsumed by much simpler, more passive means. Open park plans can promote reflexive surveillance by houses that border the park. Passing cars provide ‘eyes on the street’, looking into and supervising the park as they pass, watching over.
Neighborhoods of Carl Junction with corresponding parks
The social divide that plagues Carl Junction seems to have its basis in the tangible physical barriers that carve up the town, such as the Center Creek floodplain and the Highway 171/Kansas City Southern rail line corridor. As the town expanded and was confined by these blockages, the residents within the neighborhoods came to be defined by them— creating distinct, insular social factions that usually stuck to themselves. Carl Junction’s social life is characterized by the normal, defined as mostly quiet periods of inactivity, punctuated by large annual events. During these events, the town becomes a hub of public activity. Though this condition is impossible to perpetuate constantly, the sense of community cohesion derived from these events can be sustained throughout the years. This would form the essence of what we call ‘social sustainability’—a community ethos in which the entire town recognizes the desire for progress and assists in its undertaking, thus divorcing the initiative from simply being a top-down government directive and putting the true driving power in the hands of the citizens. In this way, community cohesion can become an integral part of Carl Junction’s future.
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS_ SOCIAL 23.
.24
Synthesis Observations revealed a set of deep social divides in Carl Junction, tracing back to the town’s mining era and fortified by physical barriers. Research further revealed a series of historical waypoints in the town’s past, such as the mammoth excavation, that have shaped the town’s progression. Referencing these events can provide a new opportunity to reconnect the town. Residents repeatedly spoke of the town’s lack of vibrant economic conditions, with a missed growth opportunity due to the lack of sales tax revenue. Theresearch and analysis phase were synthesized by distilling the information collected through interviews, observations, anecdotes, and research, and became the basis for generating of the master plan and park designs.
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS_ SYNTHESIS 25.
.26
OVERALL STRATEGY
27.
.28
Goals & Objectives Given the findings from the research phase, five main objectives were established in developing a cohesive green strategy for Carl Junction: ○ Connectivity ○ Flood Control ○ Access to Local Produce ○ Waste Management ○ Social Sustainability
OVERALL STRATEGY_ GOALS & OBJECTIVES 29.
Precedent Studies: Green Systems Freiburg, Germany Movement System Freiburg Germany is special because of the extreme focus and concentration on bicycle, pedestrian, and tram systems. The core of the city is set on a subsidiary road system that is used for minimal vehicular traffic, with main use by pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Vehicular traffic is then pushed outside the core of the city along with parking and other amenities. The core of the city is united in its vernacular by use of exposed stream ways and a unique paving system that you can see on almost every street. Though this system is unique, they run into problem when the tram system intersect the pedestrian roads. Green Systems The Green system is unique in the sense that they have worked extensively to meld the urban fabric with that of nature. Due to this you will see nature growing on building and spanning across roads. Despite the uniqueness involved with this system, it lacks the availability of actual parks, there is no seating spaces or breaks from the urban context. Local Food Town center
The food system in Freiburg is effective because of its mobility. Due to the crowded nature of the core of Freiburg, a farmers market is only available for use if it is temporary and can be taken down or put up at will. This allows for the farmers market to take action in the heart of downtown, the square. Application
Urban infill in sync with green network
.30 OVERALL STRATEGY_ PRECEDENTS
Outdoor farmer’s market
Carl Junction could implement a number of things very similar to the way Freiburg has. I think it is important for Cart to experiment with the idea of a subsidiary street system to allow for easy pedestrian and bicycle traffic. They should also experiment with the aesthetic idea to help tie all the pedestrian available streets together. Lastly they should experiment with a mobile farmers market system, this would ensure that all land and property the city owns is used at all times.
St. Joseph, Missouri Flood Control The St. Joseph Riverwalk preserves the natural setting of the Missouri River in a park composed of hiking and biking trails. Located in the floodplain, the park also contains the Remington Nature Center. Built on elevated piers the center as well as educating visitors, allows them to safetly view the effects of flooding, creating an space for an unusual community event.
Nature Center with flooded site
Application Several design ideas of the St. Joseph Parkway System could be implemented in Carl Junction. Programming the parks so that they create their own identity through recreational facilities along with following a general parkway system through the town could work as a green movement system.
Nature Center at low water level
Citywide parks plan
OVERALL STRATEGY_ PRECEDENTS 31.
Minneapolis, Minnesota Green System The System is designed as a large loop around the city, showcasing all the natural amenities the area has to offer along with incorporating facilities useful to the residents. A person living in downtown Minneapolis is never more than six blocks from a city park. The system has shown many times over for more than a century how a park system can increase property value (Loring Park), awareness of history (Mill Ruins Park), and overall quality of life. Mechanism
‘Grand Rounds’ trail plan
Recreational trails become commuter paths
The city has a nine-person board whose sole responsibility is to look out for the integrity of the park system. This type of governance allows for appropriate allocations of money and time to the parks and has made the park system one of the best run and maintained in the country. As a result, the Minneapolis Park System is annually named among one of the best in the United States simply by taking advantage of the natural amenities within the region. Application In 1986, a private group raised awareness to turn an old Burlington Northern Railroad into a park, raising $1.87 million to keep the area from being sold for residential development. Jones & Jones out of Seattle designed a system that promoted native plant life.The Trail, which opened in 1995, is America’s first federally-funded bicycle freeway, consisting of three traffic lanes. 700 bicyclists use the trail per day, three-quarters of whom are commuting to and from work.
Green system courtyard
.32 OVERALL STRATEGY_ PRECEDENTS
Vancouver, British Columbia Green System Vancouver incorporates nature within its design and work with nature rather than going against it. However, this is not as hard of a challenge as it would be in other cities with it be surrounded by mountains, forests, beaches, trails, national parks, and the Pacific Ocean. They have done a good job at placing green spaces wherever it can possibly fit within the town. By 2020, the city hopes everyone within the town will be within walking distance from a park or beach.
Path, gardens, and community spaces
Local Food Vancouver hopes to create more opportunities for local food because food transportation causes 20-25% of carbon emissions for the local resident. Local food has less of a carbon footprint, helps the local economy, and provides less packaging. Local food production could increase by more farmer’s markets and community .gardens. Vancouver recently placed a community garden beside their city.
Bicycle paths integrated into cityscape
Citywide green streets map
Hydroponic community garden system
OVERALL STRATEGY_ PRECEDENTS 33.
Chicago, Illinois Green System Chicago’s attempts to curb its pathological spread have historically failed. Realizing this, AdamsMasoud’s recent NETWORK RESET competition winner re-envisions the Emerald Necklace not as an inhibitor but as a connector, drawing discrete parks and natural features together into a holistic ‘Emerald Constellation’ that doesn’t impose growth schema but instead adapts and reacts to the city’s spatial contortions over time. Included in this plan is functional redevelopment of existing industrial brownfields in an attempt to shake the detritus of Chicago’s industrial past. The traditional parks context is rebuilt in a way that speaks to 21st-Century America as opposed to a 19th-Century memory that has long lost its relevance and poignancy. Application
Parks and pedestrian access
.34 OVERALL STRATEGY_ PRECEDENTS
Though Carl Junction operates at a much smaller infrastructural scale than Chicago, some elements of the Emerald Constellation plan are worth transcribing to Carl Junction’s context. A parks system that is seen as a catalyst for smart, efficient, and well-concieved growth pattern is an asset not only from a planning standpoint, but also from a social one—a system of cohesion is created, where the parks system can grow and evolve along with the town, adapting to needs, and informing development patterns and access routes.
Portland, Oregon Green System Downtown Portland has became the center of the city. A grid system was established to make the city more pedestrian-friendly and to increase movement to and from the center. Modes of transportation had to be provided or encouraged to influence this movement in the downtown area. This movement continues to help the center of Portland grow and prosper. Mechanism To create movement through Portland’s center, bicycle and walking paths, trams and parks were incorporated. Parks such as the Tom McCall Waterfront Park provide trails that allow citizens to commute in an environmentally friendly way. These parks attract people to the downtown area and vice versa. Portland is one of the top commuter cities in the world mostly because of its bicycle-centric system. Multiple cycling trails are provided that run through the downtown area. Besides trails, he transit system in this area is vast and includes multiple tram, bus, and streetcar systems. Portland downtown
Application Carl Junction does not yet have a strong center established but if there were one, the area would benefit from an integrated movement system. The most popular area in town contains the Community Center, the main business district and Memorial Park. Pennell Street is widely used and Memorial Park is directly beside it. Incorporating a better movement system, especially in the areas of non-emission transportation such as bicycling or walking, will increase traffic and economics for Carl Junction. The Thomas Station trail to the south and Ruby Jack Trail to the north are golden opportunities to create a natural movement pattern. Williamette River trail
Intersection ‘bike box’
OVERALL STRATEGY_ PRECEDENTS 35.
Layers of Intervention In order to meet these objectives, five layers of intervention were proposed that make up the overall strategy. ○ Parks System ○ Movement System ○ Local Food Networks ○ Waste Management System ○ Economc Development and Growth
Parks System Existing Conditions Existing parks are homogenous in character—most feature a playground and possibly athletic fields, but not much else. This creates a condition in which none of the parks are truly integral to the whole town, but instead function on a localized, neighborhood level. In addition, the current parks do not have enough space to accomodate all the desired functional requirements, particularly athletics. Along with this, residents spoke of their desire for a veterans memorial park, a skate park, a disc golf course, a dog park, and other amenities. Proposed System In an attempt to rectify these problems, the addition of several new park spaces have been proposed: an athletic complex, a downtown square and pocket park, a historical park on the mammoth site, the combination of Center Creek and Frank Dean Parks, and their subsequent expansion into the entire length of Center Creek, and finally, an Environmental Park. In adding these parks, a sense of community-wide cohesion will be created by introducing and redistributing functionality and amenities across the parks, to promote usage and accessibility across the entire green system.
.36 OVERALL STRATEGY_ PARKS SYSTEM
Proposed park system
Movement System Existing Conditions Currently, Carl Junction has a basic trail system laid out based on previously-used rail lines, such as Thom Station Trail, which occupies part of the now-derelict Frisco line that cuts through the town north to south. Further, there is a plan to install another regional trail along the old Ruby Jack rail line. While these trails are a step in the right direction, they are not sufficient in creating a truly comprehensive green system, and fail to provide the fluid sense of connectivity needed across Center Creek. Proposed System A further expansion of the existing trails will connect the parks and the town. The trail system would be further broken down into a hierarchy of regional, local, and neighborhood networks.
Existing trails
Extension of existing to regional trails
Regional Trail Network Regional trails would serve as connectors to other towns in the region along existing rail lines through Missouri’s Rails to Trails program, such as Carthage, Webb City, and Joplin. Within Carl Junction, these trails become main access arteries that allow foot and bike traffic throughout the town and offer direct connections between the various parts of the city.
Regional trail mapping
OVERALL STRATEGY_ MOVEMENT SYSTEM 37.
Local Trail Network Local trails would extend the main arteries further into neighborhoods, connecting parks and key destinations. Larger routes would connect these key destinations across town, while smaller loops would promote recreation and easier access to the network. Neighborhood Trail Network Neighborhood trails would consist of bike and pedestrian sidewalks, providing safe and easy circulation. This network allows pedestrians safe, vehicle-free access from their houses to the larger trail networks.
Bike lane example
Local/regional trails plan
.38 OVERALL STRATEGY_ MOVEMENT SYSTEM
Bike lane example
Rail A national rail line has been proposed by the America2050 coalition. If enacted, this plan would connect “megaregions� across the United States, allowing for mass car-free transit. This proposal includes connections that could potentially impact the Southwest Missouri region. This regional line has a potential to branch out further into a more localized line in the form of an electric rail or trolley system. This system would service Carl Junction and further support the green networks. Vancouver
Seattle
Trans-American Passenger Network
Cascadia
Portland Montreal
Minneapolis
Pacific Ocean
Toronto
Milwaukee
Great Lakes Salt Lake City
CHICAGO
Detroit Cleveland
NEW YORK
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
Omaha
Sacramento
NorCal
SAN FRANCISCO
Boston
Northeast
Denver
WASHINGTON
Cincinnati Kansas City
Front Range
St. Louis
Atlantic Ocean
Las Vegas
Socal
* America 2050. LOS ANGELES Recommendations Phoenix San Diego for a Trans-American Passenger Network, SunArizona Corridor 2011. Accessed 21 April, 2012. <http:// City Population 10-50K Bus Incremental High-speed rail 50K www.america2050. 250K + org/maps/> Highspeed rail
Megaregion Long Distance/ Corridor
Piedmont
Oklahoma City Albuquerque
ATLANTA DALLAS El Paso
Texas Triangle
America2050.org
Jacksonville
Gulf Coast
Florida San Antonio
HOUSTON Tampa
Top airport
Metro of 3 million+
Charlotte
Memphis
Gulf of Mexico
America 2050 proposal* Miami
Megaregion boundary
Regional rail proposal
Introduction of regional and local rails
OVERALL STRATEGY_ MOVEMENT SYSTEM 39.
Local Food Network Existing Conditions As it stands, Carl Junction does not have a truly viable local food system. Current trends towards sustainable practices and lifetime wellness create a need/want for a community-wide food system consisting of community gardens and a centralized farmers market. Proposed System Network of Community Gardens Community gardens have been proposed to be placed in each park which would allow each to operate with a local, neighborhood-centric focus. As these gardens are established and begin to develop, residents could begin to sell their surplus crop from the gardens themselves, thus creating socioeconomic draws within the parks system. Farmers Market As the garden system continues to grow, a farmers market has been proposed to be established in the new town square. This market would be able to sell produce and other goods collected from the gardens and any possible future local sources, and integrate the local food network into the downtown fabric and the entire community.
Network of Community Gardens and Farmers Market
.40 OVERALL STRATEGY_ WASTE MANAGEMENT
Waste Management System Existing Conditions Carl Junctionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current recycling framework is sporadic and underutilized, with a scarcity of drop-off points currently at the school campus complex, the post office, and Community Center. The recent installation of these pieces belies a certain level of interest and desire to become more efficient with waste management practices in the community. Though the groundwork is there, the collected recyclables currently are shipped to either Galena, Kansas or Springfield, Missouri, a process that is costly and antithetical to ideas of sustainability. Proposed System Recycling Drop-Offs To further facilitate sustainable measures, we propose the installation of additional recycling drop-off points within the parks, which would allow for the community gardens to utilize collected composting material and promote lifetime wellness. Collection Facility A long-term solution would be the eventual creation of an Environmental Park, which would function as a hub for environmental sustainability, including educational and business opportunities as well as recycling capacity. This recycling center would begin as a compact center for collection and storage, but would eventually grow to become a larger complex, capable of collecting regional recycling output and generating a source of income for the town.
Recycling drop-off points and collection facility
Recycling bin examples
OVERALL STRATEGY_ WASTE MANAGEMENT 41.
Economic Development Strategy To spur the economic development of Carl Junction, three hubs have been proposed that have the potential to grow into vibrant local and regional destinations. Based on the community feedback, the three areas with the potential to grow into hubs are downtown, with its niche/specialty-type businesses; Center Creek, with its unique ecology; and the Carl Junction Environmental Hub, which we propose to become an educational hub for environmental sustainability. 1. Downtown The downtown area was selected as a probable node due to its potential activation with a new square, a pocket park, and subsequent urban infill. In addition, the area would be further activated by its close proximity to new parks, the school, and the main promenade. 2. Center Creek The Center Creek area in envisioned to become a new ecological field research hub, drawing in study opportunities from nearby colleges with Southern Missouri State and Pittsburg State University. In addition, it would remain the site of the ever-popular bluegrass festival, and with improved access routes, it could become a central hub within the town. 3. Carl Junction Environmental Hub
.42 OVERALL STRATEGY_ ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Full proposed connections
The proposed Carl Junction Environmental Hub (CJEH) already has the beginnings of becoming a hub through its close proximity to the alreadyexisting Briarbrook business district. Building on this current context, the CJEH would meld economic, environmental, and educational aspects, forming a unique platform for environmental sustainability for the community and the region.
Junctions Junctions have been proposed at certain key points throughout the town and interact directly with the green system. They are placed in accordance with integral junctions along the trails, and offer the opportunity to expand into smaller centers for economic incubation. These junctions would become waypoints, signifying changes between trail hierarchies and facilitate a transition between different types of transportation: walkers could leave their cars while they use the trails.
Junction Precedent: Katy Trail, St. Charles, Missouri The Katy Trail stretches from St. Charles to Clinton, MO, passing through many small towns. It follows the rail bed from the old Missouri-Kansas-Texas rail line. The trail is extremely popular among cyclists, accounting for a large percentage of the trail’s traffic, but is also open to walkers and runners.
Katy Trail extents
Impact Outside the St. Louis metropolitan area, the Katy Trail passes through towns with more than 1,000 people. Many cafes and shops have sprouted along the trail, becoming essential components in many towns. For example, after the trails were implemented in Rocheport, MO, has grown and now houses Trailside Café and Bike Shop, Rocheport Bend and Breakfast, and Les Bourgeois Winery. Rocheport continues to grow and expand, feeding from the economy and traffic flow from the Katy Trail. Funding The primary funding for the Katy Trail came from Transportation Enhancement Funds through Missouri Department of Natural Resources with some funding from the Jones family of Edward Jones Investments. The state department’s main interest in the project was to maintain the rail bed in case of future redevelopment as a rail road. The trail prevents local landowners from using/purchasing the land and breaking the 200 mile connection across the state. Application The Katy Trail trailhead at St. Charles, Missouri is a symbiotic interaction between recreation and economy, with the two influencing one another. A vibrant historical downtown exists alongside the trail itself, offering opportunities for patrons to leave the trail and relax, providing local income. The trail becomes a major source of local economic opportunity.
St. Charles trailhead
OVERALL STRATEGY_ ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 43.
Composite & Phasing Social Sustainability None of these proposals will be possible without the insinuation of social sustainability into Carl Junctionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mindset. Though the initiatives proposed operate at a town-wide scale, individual and group interest is vital to the creation and sustaining of the system. Interest groups could be formed, either operating at neighborhood scales or in tandem with the school system to oversee projects and streamline the overall process. It is proposed that the community utilizes the existing social networks, such as schools, churches, and other neighborhood organizations to mobilize the initiatives. Attracting young people for startup opportunities (high schoolers or young professionals) would be encouraged. Essentially, community and individual involvement is what will drive the proposals.
.44 OVERALL STRATEGY_ PHASING
Composite map with hubs
Phasing Three phases have been proposed and it is important to understand and execute the phasing as a natural progression and growth. Phase 1 begins with the installation of the neighborhood trail network, which consists of bike and pedestrian sidewalks. The community garden and recycling drop-off points are placed in the parks. Simultaneously, the creation of the new parks and the redistribution of their functions would begin, such as moving athletic fields and beginning the early stages of initial hub and park design. Phase 2 sees the creation of local trail loops, the intersections of which would become junctions, allowing main circulation. These could become spots for trail shelters and serve as points for transfers to the larger regional system. Hubs continue to develop. Phase 3 completes the green system. Regional trails are installed, finishing the trail network. Parks, hubs, and nodes continue to develop.
Phase 1: Improve ○ Neighborhood trail network ○ Community gardens ○ Recycling drop-off points ○ Redistribution of park functions
Phase 2: Create ○ Local trail loops ○ Trail junctions ○ Hub development
Phase 3: Complete ○ Regional trails ○ Hub development ○ Park development ○ Junction development
OVERALL STRATEGY_ PHASING 45.
.46
HUBS & PARKS
47.
Urban to Natural
.48 PARK DESIGNS_ OVERALL PARKS CONCEPT
Individual Identities
Functional Redistribution
Overall Parks Concept After establishing an overall green strategy at a citywide scale, each of the three hubs and the parks were focused on to further develop the actual design of the spaces. In order to give a sense of cohesion to an overall parks system, three concepts were established based on community feedback and observations of existing conditions: an urban-rural transition from north to south, the creation of distinct park identity, and redistribution of park functions to promote better utilization of the green system across the town. Urban to Natural After our observations, it was realized the town flows from a gridded 'urban' condition to the north to a more pastoral 'rural' or 'natural' condition towards the south. Residents repeatedly expanded on this condition, making it a critical point of consideration throughout the design process. Individual Identity The parks, as they currently exist, feature a melange of largely similar aesthetics and usability. Throughout the master planning process, it came to light that these parks needed a re-creation of individualized identities, wherein a park would become unique within the system. Redistribution of Functions As the parks function now, only a few are routinely used, as they feature a disproportionate amount of the overall parks system's functionality. It was realized that larger utilization could be achieved through redistributing the parks' functions and amenities, so each one becomes integral and active townwide. This section will elaborate on the design of three proposed hubs first, then move on to the rest of the parks, in order from north to south.
PARK DESIGNS_ OVERALL PARKS CONCEPT 49.
.50
DOWNTOWN
51.
Downtown Development Strategy Downtown has been identified as an opportunity for economic growth. It has potential to hold niche shops and expand in the form of a pocket park and city square to draw more community residents to the area. This will provide an opportunity to form more small businesses in Carl Junction, allowing downtown to develop into a more pronounced social and economic anchor. Running through and extending outward from this area is the promenade, running along Main and Pennell Streets, hopefully becoming a conduit for further growth. Phase 1: Redistribution of Functions City hall/senior center moves out of the community center into the existing downtown fabric. The bank and post office are moved to make room for a new town square, which sits at the intersection of Main and Pennell Streets, which will themselves be widened to create a central promenade. A farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market location is established. As a result, the economic zone expands to accommodate growth.
Phase 1
.52 PARK DESIGNS_ DOWNTOWN
Phase 2
Phase 2: Infill Further urban infill prompted by economic growth around the Main and Pennell Streets promenade. A pocket park is created within the urban fabric, supporting a community garden. The existing farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market site could possibly see expansion into a built pavilion, situated in the downtown square. Phase 3: Growth Continued economic infill, promotion of organic growth patterns within pre-existing boundary. In the event of a transit network, this region should see the creation of a multi-transit stop, which would include rail and bus modes of transportation.
Composite Implement all of the aspects of the downtown hub into the infrastructure laid out on a city wide scale, while still filtering the aspect of nature, farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s markets, community gardens, and recycling drop-offs into the downtown fabric as well as the established promenade along Main and Pennell Streets.
Phase 3
Composite
PARK DESIGNS_ DOWNTOWN 53.
Downtown Square The proposed site for a downtown square is in the current location of First Community Bank and the Post Office, the center of Carl Junction’s small downtown fabric. This site was chosen for its central location and its mostly developed surroundings, allowing for the more immediate implementation of the park. It was also chosen because of the site’s history. Until the 1970’s, Amos Park was located in what is currently the bank’s parking lot. This park used to be a hub within the active fabric of downtown Carl Junction and the proposed square could bring the history back to life. Main Street forms the west edge of the site and faces the current buildings that form the city’s remaining downtown fabric. Pennell Street forms the north edge, which carries heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic from different city institutions including the schools and community center. The east edge of the site is framed by an alley next to residential plots. The south edge is defined by a road and an immediate corridor to one of the oldest residential development in Carl Junction.
Community Wants Existing conditions
Carl Junction residents want downtown to carry the economic weight of the city and in order to do that, expansion is needed. An interest in more business and traffic flow was expressed by the city residents in attempt to create the economic increase.
Concept The primary goal of this park is to create a socially active center through a variety of spaces and programs working together to spur future downtown expansion.
Concept diagram
.54 PARK DESIGNS_ DOWNTOWN
Design In the broad concept of the square it was requested that there be a large open gathering space accompanied by smaller intimate spaces. In addition there was a desire for a pocket park in the existing urban fabric, incorporated into all of these aspects are garden spaces, recycling points, and a farmers market.
Farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market
Green rooms
Pavilion space
Main lawn
Park plan
PARK DESIGNS_ DOWNTOWN 55.
Central Open Space The center open space is also accompanied by two garden spaces, one to the north and the other to the south. The north garden acts as a transitional space between the street and the event space in the square and as a civic space in featuring public art, while the south garden creates a more intimate meditation space. The large hardscape space between the field and Main Street could hold temporary pavilion that would provide entertainment and information to citizens and visitors. Large open gathering space
Garden Rows The square contains two garden spaces and event spaces. The main open space of the square can hold events such as concerts and art shows but is left largely unprogrammed for recreation and relaxation. The field is unique in that it faces two directions. The future development to the east would serve as the stage and backdrop for a large event. For a smaller event, the paved space west of the field would act as the stage. Pocket Park
.56 PARK DESIGNS_ DOWNTOWN
Garden rows
In addition to the square, a pocket park is proposed to the west of the square. This pocket park would serve as a break in the infrastructure of downtown, and would serve an important role in its overall growth. The space essentially carries the idea of a square across the street and directly in to the fabric of downtown. It would have general seating and artwork to bridge the connection between art and the square.
Pocket park
Section of the square
Precedents: Downtown Square Rockville Town Square, Maryland The Rockville Town Square is a pedestrian only outdoor plaza space; built in 2007, it is surrounded on all sides by restaurants, shops, a library, and residences. The plaza is filled with trees, outdoor dining tables, a pavilion, a central open space, as well as many other intimate spaces. The square has two main corridors of foot travel along the two sides that border the retail stores. In the center of the square are seating areas, a large open space, and a pavilion. Impact Rockville Town Square brought an incredible focus on the development and growth of the downtown area. This growth came in the form of small boutiques and locally owned shops. This square also offers opportunities for interaction within a small town. It has become a local hot spot, regardless of Rockvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s small population. Funding Over the entire project, $360 million was spent in the development of the Rockville Town Square (this includes the square and the surrounding buildings): $260 million in private funding, $100 million in public funding, including $60 million total from the city, and $40 million designated for streets, sidewalks, and public parking garages.
Square and urban contextâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;night view
Application Many aspects of the Rockville Town Square could be adopted by Downtown Carl Junction to further stimulate the economics of that area. Whether that be the notion of a central open space, separate small intimate spaces within the larger context, or the fact that the shops sit right on the square. All of these concepts could be used in Carl Junction.
Full activation through amenities
Green space/hardscape hybrid
PARK DESIGNS_ DOWNTOWN 57.
Vest-Pocket Parks, New York City The vest-pocket park style is one that is implemented throughout New York, which were established to change typical vacant alley-ways into friendly and usable spaces. Implemented by the City Park Association in the 1960's, these parks have been introduced in many other cities. Alley-ways are usually troublesome because of the lack of safety and aesthetics that they bring to a neighborhood. These vest parks alleviated problems by adding greenery and furniture, which in turn increased circulation and use. Vest-pocket parks are used for resting, gathering, and socializing during all times of the day. Impact Williamson park
These parks help clean up neighborhoods and alley-ways, as well as increase community interaction. They create a peaceful and intimate place to get away from the typical humdrum while offering added security to what was originally something dark and dangerous. This first vest-pocket park created sparked a movement which brought many more to New York and other cities all over the world. Funding The city parks association funded the Vest-Pocket Parks; they are fairly cheap to construct because they require little needed infrastructure and maintenance. Application The “Vest-Pocket Park” design that is seen in New York City, although in a much larger setting, are very similar to the style in which Carl Junction could benefit from. These provide an intimate space in an urban setting, as little as that may be, for employees or pedestrians to go and relax.
“Vest-Pocket” condition
.58 PARK DESIGNS_ MEMORIAL PARK
“Vest-Pocket park” Condition
PARK DESIGNS_ MEMORIAL PARK 61.
Phasing Because of the availability of the space in front of the Post Office and Bank structures, the Farmers market will be Phase One of the project. This would take advantage of the unused space currently sitting between the street and the bank / post office. Over time it should expand as the other functions of the area leave. As the bank or post office begin to talk of moving, the city should to another site within the downtown fabric. At this point, as one function leaves, that space should be filled with parkscape.
Phase 1: Implementation ○ Main street ○ Farmer's market ○ Pocket park
.60 PARK DESIGNS_ MEMORIAL PARK
Phase 2: Expansion ○ Paths ○ Installation of lawn ○ Central courtyard
Phase 3: Rebirth ○ Relocation of existing functions ○ Full incorporation of site ○ Programming
CENTER CREEK PARK
PARK DOWNTOWN DESIGNS_:PARK MEMORIAL DESIGNS PARK _ 61.
Existing Conditions Currently the area around Center Creek contains three sections: Center Creek Park, Frank Dean Sports Complex, and the abandoned lake located south of Center Creek. The three separate areas along with Center Creek hinder the space with several natural barriers. There is also a lack of connection in the north from Pennell Street and to the south from the Briarbrook neighborhood.
Community Input Field
Existing conditions
Creek
Center Creek offers a unique opportunity to take advantage of the unrivaled ecosystems found in the Ozarks. The proposal first involves revamping Center Creek as a recreational space for Carl Junction with the incorporation of essential park functions. The encouragement of recreational use of Center Creek becomes a huge draw to regional visitors. In order for the park to function year-round, the water levels must be stabilized through a wetlands system that will help control floodwaters during spring and summer months. Annual events held at Center Creek such as the Bluegrass festival would also benefit by having several informal performance space. This could allow for performances to take place in a centralized location while also giving the opportunity for impromptu performances. By providing an access point into several different environments, local high schools and regional universities also have the opportunity to be educated and research the Ozark ecosystems. This research center should promote economic stability as it becomes a regional destination within the city.
Concept Bring out existing variations along Center Creek park, Frank Dean, and the wetland through natural and man-made conditions, creating a gradient of sequential shifts.
Concept diagram
.62 PARK DESIGNS_ CENTER CREEK PARK
Wetland
Provide a city park for the citizens of Carl Junction while promoting environmental research and exploration for visitors. This will be accomplished by vitalizing existing variations along Center Creek Park, Frank Dean, and the future wetland through natural and man-made conditions, creating a gradient of sequential shifts.
Design Three major points have driven the design of Center Creek Park: flood control, usability, and connectivity. Purposing the lake into a 90 acre wetland will allow flood waters to pass the park area while also providing a natural habitat for local wildlife. Several areas are being proposed that both respond to the citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs of Carl Junction as a city park while also providing a location for studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; environmental research. The establishment of the wetland in the former lake bed helps enforce the idea of Center Creek becoming a scientific research area. The park functions are connected through materially sensitive paths that respond to their surroundings while also providing opportunities to view unique Ozark habitats and spaces. In addition, they physically help connect northern and southern Carl Junction and unite the two separations near a natural and man-made junction.
Circulation
Flood control
Ecology
Park plan
Materiality
PARK DESIGNS_ CENTER CREEK PARK 63.
Amphitheater
Amphitheater area
Amphitheater area
The citizens of Carl Junction emphasized the need for a informal performance space to allow for events, such as the annual bluegrass festival to take place. Through the use of a natural sloping lawn at the heart of Center Creek Park, and by placing gabion rock structures in Center Creek to act as erosion control and as rock platforms or stages, a natural amphitheater is proposed that would work with the existing landscape and provide better access and control of Center Creek to visitors. Marshland
Marshland area
Located on the west side of Center Creek park, the marsh area will act as a low land accessed by a series of boardwalks and elevated walkways that will allow for students and visitors to experience many different â&#x20AC;&#x153;islandsâ&#x20AC;? of ecology along both sides of Center Creek and provide an overflow space during times of flooding. Nature Center
Nature center
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Spanning Center Creek the nature center will act as a crossing of the creek but also as a community and research center for students and visitors. The center will allow for people to view and study the unique change in habitat from the southern wetland to the northern riparian.
Gabion Structures Gabion structures, or cages filled with soil, sand or rock, are normally used to help control erosion in areas that are prone to frequent flooding. The placement of gabionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s along Center Creek could help control the erosion problem found along the banks of Center Creek Park by acting as a bastion, which permits granular soil and silt to fill in around the rocks, reestablishing the ecology of the Creek. Gabionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s would also be strong enough to support people, who either would perform at the nearby natural amphitheater or access the creek for recreational use. Flood Pulse System A flood pulse system is an outlet water control structure. A porous bulkhead is used to control the flow of water as it exits the dam. The porous bulkhead allows for water during flooding to back up into the wetland, raising the water level. The bulkhead is open to the top and acts as a spillway so that in case of extreme flooding the dam is not overtopped. It Is the inlet water control structure. The same porous bulkhead is used on the upstream side of the dam allowing for a small amount of water to flow into the wetland creating a permanently flooded pool that then discharges through the outlet structure. The inlet bulkhead also controls the flow and amount of water allowed into the wetland during peak flooding periods just the same as the outlet structure.
Gabion walls along Center Creek
Amphitheater and gabion structures
Boardwalk through the marshland Wetland dam diagram
Nature center looking down Center Creek
PARK DESIGNS_ CENTER CREEK PARK 65.
Precedents: Center Creek Park Renaissance Park, Chattanooga, Tennessee Renaissance Park, located on a 23-acre site along the north shore of the Tennessee River, sits across the Market Street Bridge from Chattanooga’s downtown business and tourism district. The parkland is rich in Chattanooga history; the design of the park reflects its historical nature while also introducing recreational, ecological, and educational activities. Renaissance Park offers a variety of functions and features, such as recreational activities, overlooks, canoe drop-offs, and boardwalks. Renaissance Park is one piece in the city’s 21st Century Waterfront Plan, which plans on revitalizing the city’s faltering riverfront with over $200 million of private residential and commercial development. Park plan
Impact The park continues to preserve the key historical events the city experienced, including the Trail of Tears, Civil War remnants, and Chattanooga’s industrial history. The manufactured wetlands collect, improve and release water from two sources of urban pollution: controlled releases of water contaminated by industrial by-products and urban runoff from the urban watershed. It uses a natural filtration system using native plants, gabion walls, and other natural systems to improve water quality. In addition, it eliminates the pollution of the water supply by replenishing and cleaning the environment for Chattanooga. Funding
Gabion block flood controls
Former mayor Bob Corker launched a campaign to raise money for the master plan. He led a fund-raising effort with the Tennessee Aquarium, Hunter Museum, and Creative Discovery Museum, which raised $51 million in private donations. The park’s plan was also funded through a hotel/motel tax and other identified sources to raise $69 million in public sector dollars. None of the plan was funded by the city’s general fund. Application Many concepts found at the Renaissance Park in Chattanooga Tennessee could be implemented in Center Creek Park to provide better access to the creek while also initiating flood control. The use of rock gabion walls helps control soil erosion caused by flooding while allowing direct creek access to visitors.
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Watershed Center, Springfield, Missouri The C.W. Titus Educational Center remains dedicated to raising awareness about the protection of surface and subsurface watersheds which supply Springfield and the surrounding area with drinking water. Not only does the facility provide classrooms for educational programming, it also demonstrates its commitment to preserving natural resources, achieving LEED Gold status in energy and water conservation. Impact The center remains committed to educating the public about water conservation and other natural sciences. It has generated awareness about the necessities of water cleanliness and watershed protection. Funding The center cost $1.4 million. Private donors, as well as the City of Springfield, Greene County, City Utilities of Springfield, and the Springfield-Greene County Park Board funded the facility.
Outdoor meeting space
Application Educating the public through direct contact with natural ecosystems, such as the Sac River watershed as found at the Springfield Missouri Watershed Center, is a concept that could be implemented along Center Creek and specifically the future wetland. By providing opportunities such as outdoor classrooms, natural points of interests, and educational signposts and activities, the public can be educated through experiencing the natural ecosystems. The unique qualities found along Center Creek provide several opportunities for the park to promote itself as an park for education and research to the region.
River access
PARK DESIGNS_ CENTER CREEK PARK 67.
Boardwalk approach
CENTER DESIGNS_ CREEK PARK MEMORIAL :PARKPARK DESIGNS .60 _ PARK
Visitor Centre Vattenriket, Kristianstad, Sweden The building sits on stilts in a wetland rising 12 feet above the actual ground,and is constructed of sustainable building materials including recycled wood and composite materials. Two bridges serve as walkways to the very natural-appearing structure, connecting people with the surrounding environment. The interior of the building features a cafeteria, classrooms, and observation points primarily dedicated to the waterfowl that live in the area. Impact The city of Kristianstad has undergone a major change over the past 20 years, becoming a major commercial city in southern Sweden. The shift to â&#x20AC;&#x153;greenâ&#x20AC;? initiatives has been at the forefront as the city and surrounding area (roughly 80,000 people) do not use any fossil fuels. This attitude extends to the natural setting in which the city sits, so the building of this nature center came with grace from those who live in the city. Funding The project was primarily funded through city revenue, being built in 2009 for roughly $14 million. Stockholm-based White Arkitekter, the architects, have built many renowned visitor centers all around Sweden, and this project in particular made the short list of nominations for a prestigious European architecture award in 2010. Application The nature center found in Kristanstad reflects the importance of connecting people with the surrounding landscape, a concept which should be carried out with the implementation of a nature center along Center Creek. Positioning the future Carl Junction nature center above the floodplain and in between several different ecosystems will help establish the center as not only a community facility for learning, but also as a connection point between both sides of the creek.
View of the floodplain and nature center
Aerial view of the Nature Center
PARK DESIGNS_ CENTER CREEK PARK 69.
Phasing During the first phase introduction of the flood control mechanism begins with the construction of the dams to control the water flow into the wetland. Connections between the park and the wetland will also commence with addition of primary trails and pedestrian entrances to the north and the south, linking Center Creek Park directly to Pennell Street and the Briarbrook neighborhood. During the second phase removal of the baseball fields in Frank Dean will be completed, along with both the preparation and planting of the tree farm and the reintroduction of prairie grasses. Along Center Creek, erosion control will be employed in the form of gabion walls along the shore and in the waterway. During the final phase, the tree farm and prairie grasses will have achieved full maturation. The space will be further activated through the installation of soccer fields on the former site of the baseball fields. Connectivity within the park will be maximized by the completion of secondary trails and the construction of boardwalks spanning the creek. Lastly, the construction of a nature center will realize the park’s full educational and research potential.
Phase 1: Reclaim ○ Dam construction ○ Path addition ○ New entrances
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Phase 2: Repair ○ Move baseball fields ○ Commence tree farm ○ Gabion blocks along creek
Phase 3: Rebirth ○ Soccer field additions ○ Boardwalks added ○ Maturation of plants ○ Nature Center construction
CARL JUNCTION ENVIRONMENTAL HUB
PARKDOWNTOWN DESIGNS_ MEMORIAL :PARK DESIGNS PARK_ 71. 61.
The recycling park is another opportunity for expansion and a source of development for the city of Carl Junction. In this region, there are no close recycling centers, and the implementation of a recycling education center in Carl Junction would bring a huge attraction to the area and serve as another developmental hub. With the proposal of a recycling education center, it is important to take a fresh look at what this center could be and the opportunities it has. When approaching the center, it is proposed to mix educational programming and economic expansion. In turn, this should transform the idea of a recycling center being an industrial site, but rather an educational center to celebrate environmental consciousness. It encourages companies to support green initiatives and occupy space within the facility while still offering a source of education to all ages around the region. This type of recycling center and this approach to sustainability could serve as a precedent for the entire Midwest and beyond.
Existing Conditions Existing conditions
Currently, the site remains unprogrammed and has little vegetation. The site also lacks connectivity. The only activity on the site is at the gas station, which is located at the southwest corner.
Community Wants There is a need for soccer fields as well as a place for business. It was stressed that getting business to move to Carl Junction would improve the life style and community.
Concept A public place that teaches awareness and encourages sustainable life styles through green business, community gardens, and waste management. The recycling center is the heart of park activity as an anchor along the southeast end. It creates an edge to the massive site, making the spaces within the park more activated and more intimate and comfortable. Also, all the activities in the recycling park are positioned on a grid system to create a clear connection with different functions
Concept diagram
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Design The design was formed in a way to create a cohesive multi-functional park, which includes a recycling education center, soccer fields, businesses, and a community garden. This was achieved by creating primary paths that connect the different spaces and by implementing a grid system throughout the design process. The park is seen as cohesive because all the functions are primarily located on the south end, with the recycling center being the anchor of the entire park.
Park plan
PARK DESIGNS_ CJEH 73.
20' x 20' Matrix Gardens The garden is broken down by a grid system. Within the grids are three types of gardens. The first is a garden specifically for growing food. This can be become a very interactive space as residents come to collect the food. The second is a floral garden with plenty of seating area. This is trying to make intimate spaces within the vast garden. The third is a tree garden. Here fruit trees can grow or trees for sitting under can be grown.
Community gardens: plan
Garden variation pattern 1
Garden variation pattern 2
Garden variation pattern 3
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Food garden
Floral gardens
Tree garden
Incubator Programs The business complex will hold offices of many sizes. The offices will have great views towards the garden and create a unique atmosphere. The education center focuses on recycling materials. Residents can bring materials to the site and see it being organized into containers. The education center is also a place to teach children the importance of recycling and caring for the environment.
Recycling center/gardens section
Processing facility section
PARK DESIGNS_ CJEH 75.
Soccer Fields The fields build the transition from a natural flat scape into a grid defined garden. The fields will be used for games and outdoor activities.
Perspective looking through garden towards soccer fields
Community garden and education/business building
Soccer and education/business building
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Precedents: CJEH Guanganmen Green Showroom, Beijing, China The technology show room is a temporary structure. It sits easily on the site while not disturbing the current ecosystem. The light footprint has minimal impact on the pedestrian circulation. The materials are recycled and will be recycled when it is taken down. Impact The green roof and siding has many positive impacts: reduces heat gain, reduce storm water runoff, and increases the planting area. Application Having a park with the capability to place installations would be a way for Carl Junction to attract people. Creating a park that visually pervades sustainability is another way to draw attention for residents and visitors.
Site overview
Green cladding systems
PARK DESIGNS_ CJEH 77.
Phasing The first phase would initially activate the space by adding soccer fields and primary paths. The second phase would create more community involvement by adding several plots for organic farming. Lastly, the third phase is an economic development, which would include adding the recycling center and businesses.
Phase 1: Activate ○ Soccer fields ○ Primary paths
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Phase 2: Involve ○ Matrix garden ○ Compost activity
Phase 3: Grow ○ Recycling hub ○ Incubator programs
NORTH ATHLETIC COMPLEX
PARK DOWNTOWN DESIGNS_:PARK MEMORIAL DESIGNS PARK _ 79. 61.
Existing Conditions Currently, the two proposed sites function in different ways. The School site to the west has a few of the high school’s fields on it, but none of them are opened up to community use. There is a seldom-used outdoor classroom shielded by thick forest which is currently inaccessible from the school or from the future Ruby Jack Trail. A site to the south of the Trail serves as parking for the school district’s buses, and Trail itself acts as a staging area before the buses leave in the morning or afternoon. In contrast, the Community Center site to the east is not used for any recreational purposes; it is not even incorporated as part of Carl Junction. It is privately owned and fenced-in from the Community Center, with a row of trees and watersheds separating the land from the parking lot on the north side. Obviously, one of the first stages for the North Athletic Complex would be to purchase the land and make it usable for the designated purpose. Existing conditions
Community Wants Carl Junction has a strong youth athletics base and a number of fields scattered throughout their parks system, but they want these fields to be centralized in one area and taken out of the flood plain running adjacent to Center Creek. The requested additional fields should attend to baseball, softball, tennis, and skateboarding. Secondly, the citizens want more of a connection between the school’s land and the rest of downtown. The completion of the Ruby Jack Trail will play a strong role in accomplishing this task.
Concept The overall idea is to create a landscape that melds athletic fields and a grid layout with a natural setting. Carl Junction proper is laid out on a grid system, emulating from downtown and stretching across the city to the proposed sites. The design proposal seeks to continue this figure across the athletic complex, but also seamlessly transition into more natural, flowing areas conducive to the existing conditions on both sites. Concept diagram
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Design Designing a series of athletic fields is very programmatic in nature, and the number of fields depends on previous conditions from other sites, such as the Frank Dean Sports Complex. The overall experience at these parks should be dynamic even if the fields themselves are out of season. Next to the athletic fields, one will find a casual area that integrates strong and safe elements that encourages skating. This idea mixed with the concept created a plan with pieces melding into one another, using the outdoor classroom on the south site and the topographical variation on the north site to enhance the experience. This mix of natural elements with baseball and softball fields creates an ethos not typically found at athletic fields and works to tie the community into the school system and the region.
Topography
Paths
Fields
Park plan
Vegetation
PARK DESIGNS_ NORTH ATHLETIC COMPLEX 81.
High School Site This site has multiple advantages: it falls along the Ruby Jack Trail in the middle of all the schools and is already used for sporting and other activities. By adding more fields to the site, the high school will have better facilities and the community will have a stronger impact in the space. One baseball field, one softball field, tennis courts, a school-run community garden, and a deep network of paths through the previously-existing wooded area highlight the additions to the site. Extra space, such as the open field in the northeast corner, will function both as a multipurpose field and as a gateway to the community, also tying into the sense of a gridlike system melding with a natural system. Because these changes are rather slight, they can be implemented rather quickly and efficiently.
Site plan
View from community garden
Site section
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Skate plaza plan
Community center site plan
Skate plaza section
Site section
PARK DESIGNS_ NORTH ATHLETIC COMPLEX 83.
Community Center Site This site becomes the quintessential image for an athletic complex: multiple diamonds with a central gathering point. This park differs, however; an intricate series of paths connect said central point to other features, such as the Carl Junction Community Center and the open area on the east side of the site. The addition of trees creates a much more natural setting, far different from the traditional athletic complex. Because of the existing topographical conditions, a hill with a plateau has been implemented, creating unique viewpoints of the action going on below and establishing a much more subtle multipurpose area on the site along with the programmed fields. To encourage use of the park outside of baseball and softball season, the paths will be introduced first followed by the fields later on. Overhead View of fields
Skate Plaza One of the community requests was for a skate park. The traditional image for this piece is a concrete sea: a paved-over area with half pipes and rails that only serve one purpose. Insurance companies see this image as a nightmare; they open themselves up to lawsuits so easily that some communities (including Springfield, MO) have to shut theirs down due to funding issues. The solution comes in a different implementation: a â&#x20AC;&#x153;skate plazaâ&#x20AC;? has been placed to the south of the Community Center. This piece mixes a hardscape with pathways and green space to create an area welcome to skateboarders and regular park goers. Not only does this eliminate the funding issue of a skate park, but it establishes an audience for the skateboarders and a sense of social sustainability among all who use the space.
View from Skate Plaza looking toward Community Center
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Precedents: North Athletic Complex Burlington School Gardens, Burlington, Vermont The community gardens are placed at multiple schools within the Burlington School District and function as part of the Healthy City Youth Initiative. As funds are raised, gardening beds are placed at the schools where students arrange them in their preferred fashion and maintain them throughout the school year. This provides the schools with educational tools as well as food and flowers that the students have grown.
Planting units
Planting units
Impact The school gardens are part of a city-wide program in Burlington which encourages everyone in the community to participate in community gardening. Those who organized the program understand that the best way to get people involved is through the schools, and the school gardens have become one of the best utilized parts of the system. Funding The school gardens have been funded by a variety of grants since 1992 and reached out to five schools in the district as of 2007. As funding comes in, more gardening beds are purchased and placed at the school that has the greatest need. The Burlington Gardens program is a non-profit organization which accepts donations to run all of its programs across the city.
Children Involvement
Gardens on school site
Application Community gardens function as great methods for schools to educate and invigorate their students. The geographical and social natures of the Carl Junction School District will also play a great role in incorporating these pieces into the parks plan.
PARK DESIGNS_ NORTH ATHLETIC COMPLEX 85.
La Fayette Skate Plaza, La Fayette, California This park functions as a “safe spot skate spot” because it is a safe place for skaters to enjoy themselves and for ordinary park goers to at the same time. It accomplishes this through the use of design elements such as paths,edges, and tilting planes to accommodate both everyday use and skating, rather than having separate skate park pieces. The park opened in February 2009 and has become one of the most featured parks of its kind in the world. Plan
Impact The park has made an enormous impact on the community because of its unique qualities. It is featured in the downtown region of the city, giving it prominence and a community-oriented style. The park was developed by the Rob Dyrdek Foundation, which builds many parks similar to this around California. Funding This skate plaza was funded primarily by the city of La Fayette and from private donations, the most notable coming from CKE Restaurants. The overall cost came to $355,000, which was incredibly reasonable for a park of this nature and has led to it becoming a model for other parks of its kind. Skate plaza grinding ramp
Application The residents of Carl Junction have repeatedly called for a “skate park” to be added to their Parks and Recreation system. Since traditional skate parks have a downside of high insurance costs and little variance of usability, implementing a skate plaza would create a multi-functional open space within the city that satisfies the desires of its citizens.
Skate plaza
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Jamor Sports Complex, Oeiras, Portugal The complex is a large composition of many fields and paths, all integrated within a large forest. The main piece is the Portuguese National Stadium, which sits within the trees; this stadium holds 37,500 spectators and is the home to the Portuguese Cup match every year. Other pieces include an indoor and outdoor track, pool, rugby/soccer fields, tennis courts, exercise room, conference room, and cafeteria. Impact The complex has become one of the most successful, well-rounded parks in all of Portugal. It is featured in Sportragal, a program that connects athletes with all the facilities in the country. The complex also has breathed new life into the National Stadium, whose age and capacity has led some to call for moving large matches but the quality of the surrounding parks has allowed it to continue to be featured. Complex surrounded by forests
Funding Built and managed by the city of Oeiras. Application This park shows that combining multiple uses with a natural setting can work and become an integral part of not only a cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s but a whole countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parks system. It takes advantage of what the landscape has to offer, and the topographical variations on the Community Center site have similar elements.
Compositional layout of fields, wooded areas, and built structures
Inside main stadium
PARK DESIGNS_ NORTH ATHLETIC COMPLEX 87.
Phasing The first phase could be described as preparation: paths are laid and the north site is re-graded, while community gardens and trees are planted. With the second phase comes implementation of the program, as all fields are moved out of the other parks and onto these sites. Separating the paths and actual fields makes the parks usable and identifiable outside of the strong pieces being placed. The third phase is introduction of the “park in which one can skate” and continued maturation; as the trees grow and promote the sense of rigidity, the natural pieces continue to meld together.
Phase 1: Prepare ○ Place primary paths ○ Regrade north site
Phase 2: Implement ○ Move fields into both sites ○ Tree growth ○ Add secondary paths
.88 PARK DESIGNS_ NORTH ATHLETIC COMPLEX
Phase 3: Mature ○ Add skate plaza ○ Tree growth
MEMORIAL PARK
89.
Existing Conditions The land currently designated as “Memorial Park” was originally given to Carl Junction with the expressed intent of including a veteran’s memorial on the site at some point. Currently, no such memorial exists, and the parkland itself in its current form does not reflect its initial purpose. Current amenities include a baseball field, playground, picnic tables, and a large unprogrammed field; these are disunited by a drainage ditch that bisects the site with no means of egress across it. Therefore, visitors coming from the east side of the site, which houses the parking and the bulk of the neighborhood, have no real access to the majority of the park’s functions.
Community Wants
Existing conditions
The community has long expressed the need for a veteran’s memorial on the site, hoping it could become a regional destination point. Further, they have suggested a memorial that includes flowers and plantings to work towards an overall feeling of serenity. Beyond this vision, the community and veterans disagreed on exactly what form it should take.
Concept An experiential memorial parkscape that is evocative of emotions and ideas relevant to the community of Carl Junction and how its veterans responded to times of war. Conceptually, memorial is intended to become not only a tribute to all veterans, but also a centerpiece commemorating the city’s own veterans. This involved research, interviews, and roundtables with the town’s veterans. From these sources were articulated several “emotive concepts” that became the backbone of what would be represented in our memorial.
Memorial park concept diagram
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Design To begin, the current functions of the park should be removed, as they are unfitting to a memorial space. Other parks have been reprogrammed to incorporate the relocated amenities, meaning there is no functional loss town-wide. The main goal is redesigning Memorial Park was to reintroduce a sense of unity, thus creating a cohesive parkscape, and reconsidering what a memorial park could be. Simply introducing a central memorial “point” within the existing conditions would fracture the site further from a usability perspective; it would have no real relevance to Carl Junction and instead be an oblique reminder that could essentially be thought of as a gravestone. Instead, we realized the memorial piece could become the park, effectively stitching together parkscape and evocative space to create a useable gestalt. However, in addition (and seemingly, in opposition) to all this, the community had expressed the desire for an interface with Pennell Street—a centralized, archetypical memorial piece that could serve as a billboard of sorts for the park’s reformatting.
Memorial
Extensions
Shifting Rooms
Plantings
Park plan
PARK DESIGNS_ MEMORIAL PARK 91.
Entrances & Main Promenade To create the feeling of a cohesive park/memorial piece that still adopt traditional ideas of memorial typology (per the community’s request), we established the idea of “bookends”: two similarly weighted memorial walls positioned at Pennell Street and Locus Street (the northern border of the park). Between these pieces lie a rolling garden divided by low-lying concrete barriers in between the bookends, providing a sense of transition as visitors walk along a central axis. The rolling garden becomes the most dynamic element; as the garden changes, it signifies the different feelings and ideas Carl Junction veterans experienced.
North-south section, along main corridor
View of memorial from Pennell Street
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Shifting Rooms The memorial gardens are segmented into spaces representative of the emotive concepts derived from meetings with Carl Junctionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s veterans: grace, security, vacancy, loss of control, and longing. In accordance with each concept, the gardens take on a different character, changing in color, texture, density, and form as visitors walk along the main corridor, providing a constantly shifting and meditative landscape. This softscape is enhanced by partitions and topographical changes to complete the evocative space.
Sequential Sections
View from Loss of Control to Vacancy
PARK DESIGNS_ MEMORIAL PARK 93.
Pavilion
Pavilion plan
Latitudinal section
The memorial gardens could not possibly extend throughout the entire park without negating open green space—essential in any park. Consequently, the memorial does not cover the entire site, but rather defers to a large sloping lawn centralized via an arts pavilion gallery nestled in the park’s northeast corner, pointing along a northsouth axis. This pavilion serves as an arts incubator and performance space, allowing for small exhibitions and shows that can spill out onto the nearby lawn, cohering with the city’s desire for a local arts community. Even when not in use, the pavilion creates a counterweight to the memorial that can spread functionality throughout the park by propelling people to spaces that might go otherwise unused.
View towards pavilion
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Precedents: Memorial Park Rousham House & Garden, Oxfordshire, UK The site and landscape has become a choreographed sequence of picturesque spaces; a series of spaces that lead from one to the next invite multiple routes and possibilities within the landscape. This process allows different vistas to be revealed or unrelieved, starting with an intimate garden/orchard adjacent to the house which opens to a wider landscape that runs down to the creek and back up to the house. Visual cues such as statues and the waterway provide way points. The resulting journey is a movement through different states of texture, light, scale, and materiality. Impact The site currently serves as a place of pilgrimage for students of William Kent, the landscaper. It serves as a place for people to come and experience the beauty of landscape and environment experienced sequentially.
Rousham House and Garden with sequential shifts
Funding The funding and execution of this design came from a private owner within the same family who has owned the house for centuries. Application Similar to what the Memorial Park proposal aims to accomplish, Rousham employs a rolling, expansive garden that promotes exploration and meditation along the path, engendering an overall feeling of serenity—a quality the community said was desired. The park exists as a public space, but the pathways and plantings create individualize private space, not unlike the ‘shifting rooms’ concept, which allows the patron to fully contemplate their surroundings and what they represent as their landscape changes around them.
Room threshold
Path within a room
PRECEDENTS_ MEMORIAL PARK 95.
Fossar de les Moreres, Barcelona, Spain This space and monument serves to pay homage to the Catalans who fell in the Siege of Barcelona. The site was previously a graveyard to those who had fallen, but after the siege, it was covered with buildings. In the regeneration of El Born, the land was regained and transformed into its current state. The site is covered with bricks as red as the blood spilt and also tilts downward until hitting the depth at which those who were lost were buried. The site also holds an eternal flame that pays homage to all those fallen. A low wall inscribed with a poem dedicates the site to those who lost their lives accompanies these pieces. This wall becomes both something of monument to the memorial but also a place of engagement as it sits along a sidewalk, encouraging the use of the wall for seating and other activities. Impact Memorial and context
This site serves as a place for everyday gathering and as a memorial for the Catalans. The site is home to an enormous ceremony on September 11th, the National Day of Catalonia. Funding The park was regained as public space through El Bornâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s massive regeneration, and was realized as a governmental installment and movement. Applicability
Public engagement with memorial
.96 PRECEDENTS_ MEMORIAL PARK
Tilting planes of the memorial space
A deeply resonant memorial lives a double life as a perpetually active community space. The memorial takes a backseat to the people within it, who activate it until it assumes a purpose and cultural relevance far beyond its initial purpose. The memorial becomes a hub, imbued with reverence while simultaneously becoming livelyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a social destination. This quality is possible to achieve in Memorial Park, with an energetic memorial piece and active pavilion.
St. Augustine Park Pavilion, Austin, Texas The simplicity of the St. Augustine Park Pavilion becomes its utility. Though formally and spatially minimalistic, the space effectively creates a variety of functionality. The pavilion entreats visitors to enter and pass through, making it a point within the parkscape rather than a destination—a means rather than an end. Views remain vital, but the pavilion remains still enclosed enough to properly facilitate the performances and art shows that regularly occur. Along with its own purposes, the pavilion frames a central lawn space which double as a meeting ground for particularly large stage performances. Impact Due to the pavilion’s regular art showings, the previously under used park has become an integral part of Dallas’s arts culture and a summertime hotspot for meetings and impromptu music events. Funding Construction and design work was funded by Dallas County Parks and Recreation, paid for with taxes Applicability A lively pavilion completes and provides focus to an active parkscape. This pavilion becomes a social anchor as well as a potential arts space that not only creates a destination of the park but enlivens the neighborhood around it. Various social functions can ensue free-form, naturally drawn back to the pavilion’s centralizing form. Pavilion ‘interior’
Pavilion as it sits in the parkscape
PRECEDENTS_ MEMORIAL PARK 97.
Phasing The park design begins with the initiation of several changes that will continue throughout the park’s growth, eventually culminating in a fully realized parkscape. Phase One would mainly on the redevelopment of the park through the elimination of outdated, unnecessary functions and the introduction of new pieces. These include new roadside parking to the east and west, the memorial pieces along the streets, the linking path, and the pavilion, which should start holding regular events as soon as possible. In addition, the community garden and recycling drop-off points would be established per the master plan. Phase Two would see the installation of described barriers and topographic intervention among the spaces, as well as the beginnings of the rolling memorial garden along with additional trees to flesh out what currently exists. Phase Three sees the full activation of the space as the gardens grow and the park finds its niche within the community.
Phase 1: Establish ○ Memorial pieces ○ Pavilion ○ Main access corridor
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Phase 2: Extend ○ Topographic changes ○ Initial garden planting ○ Additional tree planting
Phase 3: Interlace ○ Continued growth ○ Additional groundwork
TIMELINE PARK
99.
Existing Condition The site contains roughly 26 acres and is surrounded by trees. It is bounded by Joplin Street to the west, Walton Street to the north, and Hillview Road to the south. With Main Street terminating at its northern border and the Thom Station Trail passing to the west, the park could become a linking point between the two passages and help expand downtown activity.
Community Wants The Carl Junction community expressed their hopes for the future and the possibilities that a new park system could bring them. The creation of this park will meet these needs and desires. They want the new park system to incorporate many elements to provide educational opportunities on a regional scale. Above all, they desire for the park to serve as both a cultural and historical interactive museum. As the community requested, guests will be able to experience an active archeological site which will provide a new opportunity to find mammoth remains.
Concept
Existing condition
Experiencing the history of Carl Junction in a timeline journey. A proposal has been made for the creation of a park that will provide visitors and residents with an environmentally rich recreational area. Because of its location, the park could play and important role in developing the downtown area by funneling visitors through the park and into downtown.
Concept Diagram
Seeing that the mammoth fossil was vital to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initial growth, the city could benefit from further exploration of the site. The activity that occurs in Mammoth Park could make Carl Junction an attraction for surrounding areas. This park addition could also bring a bigger sense of pride to the community because the experiences offered in this park cannot be found anywhere else in the region.
Explosives Plant|1924
.100 PRECEDENTS_ TIMELINE PARK
Mining|1907
Design The park is designed to chronologically display the important eras of history in Carl Junction. The timeline starts with the Native American settlement, followed by the railroad junction (which created the city), and then followed by the discovery of the mammoth fossils found at the site a few years later. After pieces signifying the Carl Junction miners and explosives plaint, the timeline ends with future development and the vision of a new downtown area. This timeline would be expressed in certain area off the main walking path, creating a historical journey around the site.
Path
Excavations
Contours
Trees
Mammoth|1890
Rail Road |1870
Park Plan
Native Americans|1830-1860
Longetudinal section
PRECEDENTS_ TIMELINE PARK 101.
Outdoor Sculpture Museum Sculptures are placed along the main promenade of the park. They stretch from the South (Center Creek) to the North (Downtown) in chronological order. Every Sculpture represents the important eras in the history of Carl Junction. The order of the timeline journey from South to North is : Native American Settlement, Rail Road junction, Discovery of Mammoth, Mining, and Explosives Plants. Excavation Sites Excavation sites are present throughout all phases. Before the park is developed the site will be X-rayed with the new technology to point out the possible areas where Mammoths could be located. When anything significant is discovered, students on a regional scale along with professional archeologists will investigate. Once the bones are revealed, the site will be covered with Plexiglas and a hand rail providing visitors the opportunity to view the excavation site from above. Entry
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Excavation
Outdoor Café An outdoor café will be the most important gathering spot in the park. The Café will be elevated on a deck that also functions as an observatory. It will be the highest point in the park so visitors can view the entire park while enjoying refreshments in the cafe area. The café will be constructed from a movable structure such as a shipping container which is both easy to move and cost efficient.
Outdoor café
PRECEDENTS_ TIMELINE PARK 103.
Precedents: Timeline Park Olympic Park, Seattle, Washington The Olympic Sculpture Park transforms a nine-acre industrial site into an open and vibrant green space for art. This new waterfront park gives Seattle residents the opportunity to experience a variety of sculptures in an outdoor setting, while enjoying the incredible views and beauty of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound. Funding It cost $85 million, which was paid through private donations. Impact
Site overview
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Before construction of the Olympic Sculpture Park began, there was substantial criticism in the community. Residents argued that the new park would result in the complete shutdown of the Waterfront Streetcar, a fixture of the Seattle waterfront since 1982, because of the park’s required demolition of the streetcar’s maintenance and storage facility. The new park was not designed to incorporate the existing building or construct a replacement facility. Despite input, the streetcar “car barn” was demolished and the line ceased operations in November 2005. A new facility has been proposed to be built in Pioneer Square, possibly signaling the route’s reopening in the future.
Application The system of Olympic Sculpture Park is mirrored in Timeline Park in many ways. First of all, the main promenade in Olympic Sculpture Park leads visitors to the sculptures, therefore allowing visitors to view all of the sculptures in the park. The design of Timeline Park was allows visitors to do the same. Secondly, the main promenade connects important streets near Olympic Sculpture Park which is one of the most important aspects of Timeline Park which will connect the Main street with Thomstation Trail.
Framing a view of the Seattle waterfront
PARK DESIGNS_ TIMELINE PARK 105.
Mastodon State Historic Site, Jefferson County, Missouri The Mastodon State Historic Site is an archaeological and paleontological site in Imperial, Missouri. It contains the Kimmswick Bone Bed Bones of mastodons and other extinct animals first found here in the early 19th century. The area gained fame as one of the most extensive Pleistocene Ice Age deposits in the country, attracting scientific interest worldwide. Impact Archaeological history was made at the site in 1979 when scientists excavated a stone spear point made by hunters of the Clovis culture (14,000-10,000 years ago) in direct association with mastodon bones. Funding Private donations. Application Museum courtyard
Wooded trails
.106 PRECEDENTS_ TIMELINE PARK
Mastodon State Historic site was also an archeological site before it turned into a museum and green space. The same concept is seen in Timeline Park. The bone bed and gathering space are other similar features between the Mastodon State Historic Site and Timeline Park.
Hakone Open-Air Museum, Kanagawa, Japan Hakone Open-Air Museum is an art museum featuring paintings and outdoor sculptures, including works from famous artists, such as Picasso. Impact Being the first open-air air museum in Japan, it serves as a thriving tourist destination. The museum has dedicated programming not only to showcase paintings and sculptures, but also incorporates programming geared towards relaxation and entertainment, including a spring-fed footpath, restaurants, and shops. It well executes the symbiosis of nature and art. Funding It was funded by the Japanese government. Application The Hakone Open-Air Museum functions as an outdoor museum as does Timeline Park. The main concept of Hakone Open-Air Museum is to create a journey in which visitors gain new experiences. The same concept is found in Timeline Park in Carl Junction.
Circulation
Art pieces within parkscape
Mountainous context
PRECEDENTS_ TIMELINE PARK 107.
Phase 1: X-ray ○ Exhibit ○ Identify excavation areas ○ Main corridor
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Phase 2: Excavate ○ Excavation activity ○ Café ○ Green space
Phase 3: Grow ○ Timeline sculptures ○ Preservation ○ Outdoor museum
LAKESIDE PARK
PARK DESIGNS_ MEMORIAL PARK 109. 61.
Existing Conditions Lakeside Park is the largest park in the city, but receives very little use because there is no clear function to the land other than for leisure. By programming this site, it is hoped that park use will be increased bye all citizens of Carl Junction, not just residents from immediately-surrounding areas. However a want to keep the park sensitive to the adjacent residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lifestyles while also maintaining the natural tendencies of the land.
Community Wants The strongest characteristic of the park is the various types of terrain and landscape. There are noticeable changes in this park throughout, and all of them hint at the presence of the golf course which previously occupied the site. These different â&#x20AC;&#x153;zonesâ&#x20AC;? are intriguing and make the park worthwhile to experience. Multiple dog owners frequent the park, and dialogue with some of them indicated interest in a dog park. The citizens of Carl Junction also express the desire for a natural park and a disc golf course. Another community input has suggest to add a disc golf course in the park.
Existing conditions
Concept After noting the different characteristics of the park, we realized that we could break it into various zones. A concept was developed as the following: heightening the existing variations in landscape along the loop to give the user a variance and engaging experience. The existing path created a loop through the different zones and people are funneled into this loop through three entrance points. Once in the loop, circulation takes visitors through the zones, creating a unique and dynamic overall experience. Concept diagram
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Design Seeing that there was a strong desire to keep this park primarily natural, the focus was on enhancing the terrain and landscape to make the different zones more noticeable. Trees, hills, and different types of grass are to be added in order to give users a understanding of the zones. Overall, the desired promotion of lifetime wellness led to the jogging trail becoming the main attraction. Also proposed was the addition of exercise stops with undefined characteristics, allowing runners to utilize them as they so choose. Some areas will include picnic tables and barbecue grills to encourage family further usage and community interaction. Since there are clear signs of a previous golf course, a disc golf course will be implemented to activate the park and attract people to Carl Junction. This sport is very inexpensive to establish and low-maintenance. It is also a very fast-growing sport and could create a strong identity for the park in the future.
A
B
C
D
E
Sequential section Park plan
PARK DESIGNS_ LAKESIDE PARK 111.
Northern Woodlands Here in the Northern Entrances benches and picnic tables were added to create meeting/gathering spaces. The trees in this area also funnel the user into the center of the park. Entering from the Eastern side are more picnic tables and benches, here is where the disc golf course starts as well. There we not many additions done to the existing area here, other than a few more trees and a small increase in contours. Northern plan
Northern entrance
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North section
Rolling Hills The next two areas in sequence are the Rolling Hills and the Lake Area. In the Rolling Hills, more contours were added to enhance the feeling of the user being surrounded by these hills, limiting and creating vistas that are not present in other parts of the park. This enhancement of contours also plays a key role in the disc golf course; courses with a variation in terrain are typically more popular and create a more intense hole. Lake In the lake areas mechanical features are added to create a more dynamic space. Here the main lake will be restocked with fish and docks are proposed so that fishing can also become a use for the park. This docks also become seating features for those users that are using the path for walking/running, this feature will create a spectacular vista of the lake and the residents there.
Rolling hills
Hill section
Lake and dock
Lake section
PARK DESIGNS_ LAKESIDE PARK 113.
Southern Dog Park In the Southern Entrance there will be a dog park and a flowering field. The flowering landscape areas are there to funnel in the users that are accessing the park from the southern most walking/running path and those that are entering for the southern parking lot. The existing ponds in this area farther more enhance the variation in the terrain. The dog park will be used by all of Carl Junction. The dog park is placed here for easier access to the users that do not live in Briarbrook. Prairie Next in sequence is the Prairie, this area has no terrain alterations other than the placement of two trees to separate two disc golf holes. This area is completely natural. The addition of the two trees will enhance the flatness of the terrain here. Prairie
South plan
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Dog park/south entrance
South section
Disc Golf Course The sequences of the disc golf course follows that of the park. As it is show in Section A the entrances to the disc golf course is flanked with trees on both sides of the path. On Hole 1 the golfer is faced with a tree. On Holes 2 & 3 the golfer has to play around a pond, which serves as a great obstacle. In Hole 4 &6 the trees thicken to create a challenge. Holes 6-8 are located in the rolling hill area, these hills create a unique obstacle that many disc golf courses lack. Hole 9 is a very unique hole. It is located right on the main lake where a golf hole once was, this hole calls for the user to play over the water. Holes 10-14 sweep into the prairie. Hole 10 &11 have tree buffers to direct the golfer to the east for more difficulty and to avoid disc going into backyards. Holes 12-14 are in the flattest area of the prairie, these holes are meant to be easier holes that give the golfers an area to let loose. The rest of the holes (15-18) come back into the rolling hills area of the park. Along with the hills in this area more trees are added for obstacles and to buffer the game from the backyards. After the golfer finished Hole 18 they will have made a loop around the whole park, ending where they have started.
Prairie hole
Disc golf course
Disc golf course map
PARK DESIGNS_ LAKESIDE PARK 115.
Precedents: Lakeside Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri The park is utilized to escape from the city, to meet a friend for lunch, or to go for a jog. Features include the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Art Museum, and the St. Louis Science Center. Forest Park has a variety of terrain, ranging from plains and hills to lakes and woods similar to Lakeside Park. Impact Forest Park is one of the largest parks in the United States, roughly 500 acres larger than Central Park. In 1904, the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, the greatest of the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fair exhibitions that year, drew more than 19 million visitors from around the world to the park. Currently, it welcomes 12 million visitors a year. Forest Park, lawns adjacent to central trail system
Funding The park is funded by a county-wide property tax, park trust funds, and private donations. The oldest building is a pavilion that still stands from the 1904 Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fair and the rest of the park was developed after that. Application The terrain of Forest Park reflects that of Lakeside Park in Carl Junction due to its variation in terrain. Forest Park also has a loop like circulation pattern that Lakeside Park is facilitating.
.116 PARK DESIGNS_ LAKESIDE PARK
Forest Park, paved trail loops
St. Louis Art Museum
PARK DESIGNS_ MEMORIAL PARK 61.
Sioux Passage, St. Louis, Missouri Sioux Passage Park is a beautiful open park in North County near St. Louis. The 188-acre park adjacent to the Mississippi River offers horseback riding and hiking trails, tennis courts, two playgrounds, picnic sites, picnic shelters, and barbecue pits. The Sioux Passage Disc Golf Park, which was established in 2006, is an 18hole course which is well-maintained and used. Tee off
Impact The disc golf course has made a huge impact on the community, becoming the most popular of its kind in the St. Louis area. For example, the River City Flyers disc golf organization has an annual tournament at the park which attracts over 200 members.
Disc golf tee
Funding The disc golf portion of the park was established in 1995 and was paid for by the city. Application The Sioux Passage Park successfully houses a disc golf course that has picnic and seating places through out the park. The holes and the seating areas are places so that they do not interrupt one another. This is how Lakeside Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disc golf course will work. At the basket
.118 PARK DESIGNS_ LAKESIDE PARK
Disc golf tee
Joe Station Bark Park, Newblock Park, Tulsa, Oklahoma This dog park, created in 2008, is located in Newblock Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and stretches 1.5 miles along the Arkansas River. It consists of a fenced-in area with two separate sides for large and small dogs. Impact The park has become a popular destination for dog owners, many of whom need a resting place along the adjacent Newblock Trail. Funding This is a city park and the funding was done by the city. The -city first bought the land then they developed it into a dog park. They developed the land into a dog park by fencing in the area and putting benches and permanent dog toys into the space.
View from park to Arkansas River
Application This is a simple dog park design that can be applied to the southern end of Lakeside Park. This dog parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main structure is the chain link fence that surrounds the whole park. And the park is located along side a running/walking trail, just like that of Lakeside Park.
Dog park
PARK DESIGNS_ LAKESIDE PARK 119.
Phasing The first changes that should be made to Lakeside Park include additions to the path and parking lot, creation of the dog park, and the planting of trees around the entrances. These changes will help complete circulation through the site and spur interest from the immediate area’s residents. The second phase includes the majority of the utilities that will make up Lakeside Parks. These include a proposition to restock the lake and add docks. Exercise spots will also be included in this phase, completing the Exercise Trail portion of the park. Phase three culminates with the implementation of the disc golf course and accompanying pieces. Disc golf in this park will gain popularity through the neighborhood and by advertisements and promotions to open up the course to others. It is imagined that sports will grow gradually and will keep a sustainable level in all parks in order to avoid this single portion overwhelming the other uses of the park.
Phase 1: Connect ○ Three entrances ○ Terrain enhancement ○ Pathway completion ○ Trees
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Phase 2: Equip ○ Docks ○ Exercise spots ○ Benches and tables
Phase 3: Program ○ 18-hole disc golf course
FOUR OAKS PARK
PARK PARKDESIGNS_ DESIGNS_MEMORIAL MEMORIALPARK PARK121. 61.
Existing Conditions Four Oaks Park is a small park surrounded by homes. The site has the opportunity to become a center point for the residents. There are currently no walking paths, limiting circulation and journey possibilities. The playgrounds, currently, are only for small children and limits who can use the park.
Community Wants There is a need for more paths to the park, especially a northern connection. The park needs to be welcoming to all families with a fun atmosphere. Include play equipment for all ages as well as involving the neighborhood.
Existing conditions
Concept Intimate community space with a sense of convergence To create a park that contains activities for all ages. Creating circulation and movement will help the small park come alive while maintaining its intimacy and purposing for the neighborhood.
Concept diagram
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Design The main pieces are a community garden on the north side, a playground in the center, and an open space to the south. The transition occurs along looping paths which start at the four corners. The new circulation wraps through the streets crossing the park and inviting residents into the space, with the playground acting as a central crossing.
Playground view
Park plan
Site section
PARK DESIGNS_ FOUR OAKS PARK 123.
Phasing Phase One focuses on making the north and west connections. Phase Two includes completing the loop through paths, integrating the community garden, and moving the playground. Phase three sees additions of seating areas and final tree placement.
Phase 1: Establish ○ Move playground ○ North and west paths
.124 PARK DESIGNS_ FOUR OAKS PARK
Phase 2: Implement ○ Composite paths
Phase 3: Mature ○ Seating ○ Final vegetation
COUNTRY CLUB PARK
PARK DESIGNS_ MEMORIAL PARK125. 61.
Existing Conditions Country Club Park has little existing vegetation, leaving the large piece of land relatively empty. The existing playgrounds pertain to children ten and older. Everything is located north of the drainage ditch, which runs through the center of the site. This barrier renders the southern half of the park virtually inaccessible. The equipment is unbalanced, as everything is located in the north and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t incorporate the whole site. There is an unclear idea of who the user is with the mix of equipment, lack of maintenance and lack of circulation.
Community Wants A solution to vandalism and a way to revitalize the park so it is welcoming.
Concept Existing conditions
Melding of athletic and natural functions for full activation of space. The goal is to create a park with multiple activities available to the residents with recreation and leisure in mind. To accomplish this, there will be a field for sports and other activities and a botanical garden with a series of paths connecting and intertwining the two.
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Concept diagram
Design The foci becomes two points of interest. The soccer field on north side of the park answers to sports and acts as a place for many outdoor activities to take place. The paths surround the soccer field and create intimate areas to sit, play and eat. The playground has been moved to the center of the park. It faces the soccer field and becomes a transition space. The gardens are in the south, beginning with the new drainage area that becomes an aesthetic and natural feature of the garden area. From this point, the garden expands to the southern border through winding paths as well as side paths leading into more intimate locations. This culminates with multiple loops through the garden, incorporating many connections and activities appealing to all ages.
Park plan
PARK DESIGNS_ COUNTRY CLUB PARK 127.
View towards playground
From botanical gardens to soccer field
Soccer field transition to gardens
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Garden paths
Precedents: Country Club Bellevue Botanical Garden, Bellevue, Washington The Bellevue Botanical Garden sits on the outskirts of Seattle, encompassing 53-acres of cultivated gardens, restored woodlands, and natural wetlands. The gardens capture the natural essence of the traditional Pacific Northwest climate. A gem within the park is its visitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s center, designed in 1957 by acclaimed architect Paul Kirk. It incorporates Northwestern and Asian influences. Funding The botanical garden is funded through private donations. The Bellevue Botanical Garden Society is non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the gardens through fund-raising activities.
Visitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s center in the park
Impact The Bellevue Botanical Garden remains committed to preserving the unique landscapes of the Pacific Northwest region. Its own garden society remains dedicated to developing interpretive programs and facilities for public education. They accomplish this through gardening, horticulture and conservation, while also promoting the gardens as an attractive destination for passive recreation. Application The cohesive environment can be implemented in designing the business to garden transition in Carl Junction.
Botanical gardens
PARK DESIGNS_ COUNTRY CLUB PARK 129.
Texas Park, Dallas, Texas This park has open space on the inside and weaving garden on the street sides. While this is in a dense city, the idea of gardens being the boundary between everything else is would be nicely implemented in Country Club. There is a flow between both garden and open spaces through a simple circulation. Impact It draws users to the park because it is pleasing to the eye as well as a place to play and relax. Aerial view
Funding The city is funding the park. Application The idea of encompassing the park in gardens would take a standard park in Carl Junction to the next level.
Dog park
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Phasing Phase one includes placing the new paths for the north side of the park and moving parking to the east. Phase two finishes the sports areas while adding more paths and seating areas. Phase three sees the garden on the south side. This includes the final paths and completes the transition from sports to nature.
Phase 1: Circulate ○ Change drainage path ○ Topographic change
Phase 2: Activate ○ Soccer field ○ Playground
Phase 3: Grow ○ Botanical garden
PARK DESIGNS_ COUNTRY CLUB PARK 131.
.132
Composite Each park design aims to find a niche, occupying not only a space within the town of Carl Junction but also within an overarching parks concept, which includes the themes of urban to natural, individual park identity, and functional redistribution across the entire system. For example, Memorial Park is closer to the 'urban' northern end of the gradient, and displays this affiliation via its attention to vehicular and pedestrian visitors from main access arteries and compactness. In addition, the design employs a veterans memorial space and pavilion-influenced parkscape to create a park that is unique within the Carl Junction green fabric and unprecedented in relation to the other parks in town. These traits are filled in specialized ways by each park design, and in doing so, integrate themselves into the system, creating their own identities. Social Sustainability Social sustainability is key in the development of the three hubs and the parks by creating a catalyst for growth through community interest. This groundswell has the potential to become a driving force behind all future projects if implemented correctly, and may potentially be able to enact long-term changes as this ethos becomes self-sustaining.
PARK DESIGNS_ COMPOSITE & PHASING 133.
.134
Phasing
The three developmental hubs take priority due to their potential to promote future economic growth. This can potentially generate income from sales tax revenue, which can then be applied to further integrate the green system, funding trails and parks that will further promote these hubs. Each park can activated through three initial processes: community gardens, recycling drop-off points, and circulation paths. These three pieces can instigate the beginnings of growth throughout the rest of the park as they develop into full-fledged, active spaces. Once initial amenities are established at each park, the most necessary parks should be selected and further embellished. This step will require close attention and study of each park’s usage, collated with community input. As a general framework, begin with the development of Center Creek Park, Memorial Park, and Lakeside Park. A second tier of development should include the maturation of the Athletic Complex and Country Club Park, followed by Mammoth Park, Downtown, and Four Oaks Park.
Phase 1: Develop ○ Center Creek ○ Downtown ○ CJEH
Phase 2: Establish ○ Memorial Park ○ Lakeside Park ○ North Athletic Complex
Phase 3: Thrive ○ Timeline Park ○ Country Club Park ○ Four Oaks Park
PARK DESIGNS_ COMPOSITE & PHASING 135.
Master plan composite plan (overall strategy + parks design)
Funding Funding exists in the form grants oriented towards civic improvement. Grants such as this exist on the federal, state, and regional level in some form or another, and often have specific requirements upon being awarded. This system can possibly result in certain improvements taking precedence over others. After searching for grants at this level, more specific grants should be pursued, such as ones that could possibly fund the initial compact center and future Carl Junction Environmental Station, as well as the creation of the wetland ecosystem at Center Creek. After grant possibilities have been fully explored, economic growth has been stimulated, opening up new avenues of sales tax revenue that could be concentrated on the continued improvement of the green system. Any initial implementation of growth should stimulate further expansion, eventually leading to a ‘critical mass’ in which the system becomes self-sustaining, fed by local organizations and residents. This becomes the key to the further maintenance of the system.
CONCLUSION The overall green systems vision has fulfilled the five Goals & Objectives as laid out during the Overall Strategy phase, including: Connectivity, Flood Control, Access to Local Food, Waste Management, and Social Sustainability. In doing so, a system has been created that not only solves many of the town’s current issues but is progressive, growing and promoting Carl Junction’s future development. In addition, the vision has the opportunity to become self-propelling as the twin ideas of social and economic sustainability take hold. Residents will be given good reason to develop a passion for their town and a desire to see it expand and prosper. Fittingly, the power to make this a reality will rest largely in their own hands.
CONCLUSION 137.