Infrastructure Elements of the Plan
Pond
There is an overwhelming amount of sediment buildup in Salisbury Pond.
In some areas of the pond there is only 3-6 inches of water. The first
recommendation is that Worcester treat the problem that is causing the
buildup before dredging the pond. Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. (Engineer
of record) is proposing a planted sediment forebay for the main inlet, with a
channel through the wetlands. The forebay will have rock check dams within
it for the sediment removal. The rock check dams will be placed within a
roughly 25,000 sq.ft. area that will disturb less than 5,000 square feet of the
wetlands downstream of the forbay. The particle separators will be located
at the following locations: one along Park Ave, 2 along Salisbury St. and
two along Boynton St. The installation of the particle separators and the
construction of the sediment forebay will decrease the total sediment load
discharged to Salisbury Pond and will have a long-term benefit.
An aeration fountain is needed to help aerate the pond. The fountain will be an in-pond aerator that helps reduce odor problems by adding oxygen to the water. It will also help reduce phosphorus cycling in the pond.
The hard edge of the pond needs to be cleaned up. The evasive plant species needs to be completely removed so that they don?t overtake the entire pond. The large granite stone that surrounds the pond needs to be better defined.
Tree Coverage
The planning team determined that the existing tree coverage should not be disrupted. However there are many trees that are in poor condition and need to be removed for safety. A arborist will be brought in to determine which trees should be taken down. To define the edge of the park, trees will line the outer edge of the park at approximately 30? O.C. This will make the edge more pedestrian friendly by providing a buffer between the park and the busy streets.
Circulation Patterns
A new circulation system will be incorporated into the recommended master
plan. The sidewalk located around the edge of the park will be replaced
with a six foot sidewalk to accommodate pedestrians. The interior sidewalk
treatment will integrate the natural terrain of the park and will be of high
aesthetic quality. All future sidewalk treatment will be handicap accessible.
The pathway will engage the pond and will provide destination points that
mark strategic views into the park. The circulation patterns provide access
to the surrounding context of the park. All the pathways and key entry points
are to be lined with light fixtures to accommodate security in the park.
Parking
The planning team has determined that the existing on-street parking is sufficient for the park. Most people who use the park on a daily basis are area residents who walk. There is on-street parking along Humboldt Street to accommodate other visitors. During high attendance concerts, additional security will be provided to help guide the public on finding parking. In the long-term Master Plan a small number of parking spaces will be incorporated to accommodate the proposed boat launch and parking for tennis courts.
Gateways/Signage
The new Gateway is proposed for the intersection of Boynton Ave. and
Salisbury St. The proposed solution for the Draft Master Plan is to move
the Tremont Columns from their existing location and move them to the new
Gateway entrance.
In addition to defining the main entry to Institute Park,
together the columns will highlight their historical significance.
The gateway
will provide views into the park that will encompass the pond, concessions,
concert shell and many other programmatic elements. New signage will
be incorporated throughout the park. The Master Plan will implement the
new Worcester PR&C standard guidelines for all signage. The signage will
include kiosks for bike routes, bus routes, identifying programmatic elements
throughout the park, and a historical sequence of the significance of Institute
Park.