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Arsenal Park
Watertown, Massachusetts
CDM Smith
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Phase A
Phase A of the park will include a large grassy knoll area with views to the Charles River, a shady honey locust bosque with plenty of picnic tables, a performance pavilion for community events, and for rain gardens. My personal contributions to this phase included the planting plan (shown below), the paving plan, other support in the create of bid documents, and construction administration.
The focus for the plantings in the park was to create habitat for birds and other wildlife.
Using almost exclusively a native or otherwise naturalized palette, the plantings will not only provide visual interest and beauty, but will also provide food, shelter, and other habitat for pollinators and other wildlife that frequent this park situated right along the Charles River.
Phase B features active recreation opportunities and facilities, including a little league field, two basketball courts, two tennis courts and pickleball courts, a skate park, a community garden, an outdoor fitness area, and two playgrounds. I have been involved in the design of the playgrounds from initial conceptual design through design development, including multiple presentations to community members and the Watertown Conservation Commission. The theme of the main playground is the Charles River, and focus is on including natural materials, textures, and play opportunities, and creating an inclusive play space that can be enjoyed by children of all ages and abilities. A “river” of blue poured-inplace rubber surfacing runs from the forest edge at northeast corner of the playground, around the river bend to a 6-foot climbable mound and next to the large play net and slide, finally ending in a whirlpool spinner.
I have developed interpretive signage to be installed at various project sites throughout the country. My goal while creating these signage is to make it informative while not too dense, and include easy-to-understand graphics that are interesting to a 7-year-old and a 70-year-old. People are more likely to become stewards of a landscape when they understand it and have a connection to it, therefore I believe signage such as this is an integral part of many successful designs.
