SAXTONS RIVER — Village Trustees recently presented the public with the proposed final design for the Saxtons River Park, which will emerge where the old Sandri building stood before it was torn down last year, on the corner of Westminster Road and Route 121 in the village.
After almost a year of public comment and near weekly meetings with Terrigenous, a Chester landscape design firm, a final design was presented for approval at the Saxtons River Elementary School on Feb. 27, giving the 15 or so residents in attendance a chance for final questions and comments on the culminating park design before it would be sent to the engineers and starting the permitting process.
Some of the features of the current design are the extension of a flat green area at the current pull-off across from the post office.
By “bringing it right out to the white line,” as they put it, Terrigenous wants to expand the available green space accessible from the street.
Also planned is a rain garden, a fountain, and a wheelchair-accessible path above the river. The old cellar hole would be filled with decking so about 30 inches of the old stone foundation will show.
The traditional access to the river is preserved just at the foot of the fire access ramp. A woodland path meanders along the right of way, and a privacy fence would be erected between the park and Christopher Morrell's residence, which borders the park on the east-northeast.
Wheelchair-accessible wooden walkways are proposed, leading to an overlook with steps that end above the 100-year flood mark.
Landscape architect Scott Wunderle of Terrigenous assured residents that concerns about where park benches would be, or whether the former building's footprint outlined in the plans were “cast in cement,” could be addressed “down the road. They're details you can decide later.”
Choices of wood for decking, as well as other features like bike racks, picnic tables, a fountain, and a rain garden to catch runoff, can also be made later on when real work begins, said Village Trustee Louise Luring.
Luring did note, however, that having a bike rack could be considered a plus for a transportation enhancement grant, and probably should be included in the proposed design.
Wunderle said many of the residents' questions will be answered during initial discussions with the state for the permitting process.
Such questions include fencing above the cellar hole, designating a handicapped parking space along Route 121, and determining whether lighting will be necessary.
The preference of villagers to have a “Vermont pastoral” type of park, the site's historical and archeological significance, the potential for universal accessibility, and the decision to “cap” or cover the arsenic-contaminated soil left from previous businesses, means that, according to Wunderle, “there are a lot of grant sources available.”
Because of the site's historical and archeological significance, funding will be available through the state. The state archeologist will “come in and do test pits” once discussions start, Wunderle said, and the results will determine the village's eligibility for a preservation matching grant from the state.
Wunderle also noted that as a contaminated site undergoing remediation, even with a “soil cap,” the project could qualify for funding through the federal Environmental Protection Agency's brownfields and land revitalization grant programs.
Wunderle will work closely with Windham Regional Commission Associate Director Susan McMahon to make the final decision whether to cap or remove the contaminated soil, he said, adding that at this point, capping the contamination with a soil cap is the less expensive way to go.
He went on to describe different kinds of ground barriers, or geotextiles, under development, one of which is designed to entangle any machinery digging onsite, thus stopping any excavation into the contaminated soil beneath the covering.
Referring to the question of whether the state would approve the soil cap solution, Wunderle said he thought “if it's a choice between doing nothing or capping, the state will be happy to just get it off their list [of contaminated sites and is likely to approve a soil cap],” although he also said that would be no guarantee that the state would make such an approval.
“I think choosing to cap the contamination makes [more] sense for what you are looking at,” he said. “We've kept in mind throughout this design process the need to qualify for as much funding as possible.”
Wunderle said it would be wise to keep the park as close to its natural setting, with as many original mature trees as possible. For those trees the town wishes to replace, he suggested varieties indigenous to the area.
In response to concerns about ash-boring beetles that are known to be slowly moving north into New England, he suggested planting oaks as one of the healthiest native species and resistant to disease.
“But ultimately, it's up to you,” Wunderle said.
The estimated price tag for the park, including professional fees, site preparation, construction elements, corrective action plan, plant materials, details, and a contingency budget of $51,300, totals approximately $641,000 for Option 1, the current choice for the park design.