People's Park

People's Park Project featured in Stow Independent Newspaper Summer Street Maynard MA.

Massive Cleanup in 5 Days Gets Private School Looking Sharp for Opening Day
Enduring Elements was asked if they could help out the Operations and Maintenance crew get the grounds of this estate setting private school in eastern MA ready for opening day, 5 days hence.

We toured the grounds, detailing the scope of the project, interviewing the stakeholders as we went.

Returning to the office we reallocated resources, drew a map from Google Earth with overlays created in Photoshop and tied the Alpha coded areas to the scope list. Within 6 hours we committed to putting 5-7 men plus myself as field director to work for five twelve-hour days. Each team member got a copy of the map and the list and specific priorities and detailed instructions. It was a whirlwind of gravel, plate compactors, trucks and a bobcat, mulch, shovels, pruning shears and mortar.

We worked closely with the excellent in-house operations crew and together spit and polished a multi acre site. Our host sponsored a joint breakfast in the big hall on Day 4 where the two crews got to know a bit about each other. We nicknamed one of our workers the Bull (in Portuguese, De Boi) and I used the whiteboard to immortalize him. At least until Monday or Tuesday when it was undoubtedly erased.

It was a joy to work collaboratively on this campus where people work this way all year round. The buildings and grounds are the former Summer home of a wealthy Boston family. Enjoy some pictures:

Enduring Elements and Partner's Create and Donate a Park for the People
People's Park Nears Phase 1 Completion

A Collaborative Creation on Private Land Donated for Public Use:

A Place for people to meet, relax, get wired for free and enjoy the Maynard gardens and skylines.
In 2007 I was offered an opportunity by Eloyse Healy a long time friend and vendor to improve use a portion of her commercial land in exchange for Enduring Elements’ Landscape Design/Build services. She had envisioned a permanent sign nearby a garden bed. She recently acquired a beautiful building and moved her business CAC Digital there. It is located at 42 Summer Street Maynard MA on a busy corner lot, steps from Maynard’s thriving downtown.

I appreciated the offer and set about designing a little more than a garden bed.

Remembering a small sunken circular bench where I spent a string of pleasant mornings while on a mural painting trip in the French village of Argeles-Sur-Mer I envisioned a large curved stone bench on a circular patio, built into a slope, surrounded by flowers and shrubs and dappled sun through shade trees. In Argeles this was the only spot outdoors I was able to find a wireless signal.

I approached Eloyse with this expanded concept that included views of the Maynard Community Garden, the iconic Clocktower at the mill and some church steeples.

In April of 2008 I drew the concept sketch, Eloyse loved it and offered to lease me the land. I wanted to create a space where the public could meet, relax, work on laptops (we are installing free wireless).










I would like to thank the following partners who dedicated time and resources to make this possible.

• CAC Digital: Allowed us to create this permanent, enduring creation.
• Enduring Elements Partners:
• EP Landscape, the build division of Enduring Elements Landscape Design/Build created a sensational 22’ curved bench with back from New England Fieldstone and a bluestone patio, bordered with red City Hall Pavers brick.
• Bay Leaf Studios, Maynard MA, Landscape Architect Lisa Bailey developed a planting plan which also included pruning of existing trees and some other stellar modifications and enhancements to my original plan.
• Thyme in the Garden, Maynard MA: Debby McNulty purchased and led her crew in the selection and planting of the beautiful garden bordering the bench and patio
• Laurel Hill Landscape, Grafton MA: Rob Nixon, veteran landscape professional and my long-time colleague, early supporter and mentor. He generously donated the rectangular bluestone. He also donated materials to a brain injury unit outdoor garden we created.
• ACH Construction, Maynard MA: Antonio Hippolito brought his excellent design sense, expertise and hands-on skill to the bench seats. We created three seven-foot curved templates and wood and pvc board forms to accept iron reinforced concrete.

The Benches were concrete cast on site in custom forms containing reinforcing steel mesh. After troweling and before curing we had various people associated with the project and passers by imprint with boots and hands.I put leaves from the King Crimson Norway Maple that provides shade in the concrete. In addition, other vegetation collected from the site was pressed into service. After it dried I removed the leaves and we mortared the benches in place. I beveled the edges for a nice sitting surface.

The Future

The highly anticipated Bike Trail is expected to run directly past the People’s Park.

The Free Wireless will be installed Spring 2009

Will stain the benches in the Spring with colors reflecting the various color transitions of the Norway Maple.

A water feature with sheet water cascading down surface of granite slab mounted on the granite block chimney.

Table(s) for people to use laptops and eat at. Designs in process: twisted bittersweet with bluestone tops?

A sign permit application was denied by the Maynard Building Department

An opening celebration.. stay tuned.

•