Town of Beaufort, NC Cedar Street Gallants Channel Drawbridge Park Redesign

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1 Town of Beaufort, NC Cedar Street Gallants Channel Drawbridge Park Redesign Location: The proposed park is located on the Beaufort side of the Gallant Channel draw bridge. As a part of the NC DOT Project R-3307, this bridge will be removed and replaced with a larger bridge at a different site. The North Carolina Division of Transportation is contracted to remove 400 feet of asphalt on Cedar Street in Beaufort when the bridge is removed. The town of Beaufort has decided to turn this area into a public park once the asphalt and bridge are removed. Park Audience: Significance: Fishermen: This area is currently frequented by local fishermen. Once this area is turned into a park there should be a facility for these fishermen to take advantage of. Beaufort Residents / Seasonal Tourists This area has many great views and great potential to bring in Beaufort residents and seasonal tourists. Most of these people will be interested in having an area to hold events and to enjoy the general scenery of the area. Recreational Boaters: Beaufort is a large boating community, so there is always a need to keep these people in mind when designing a public park. Since there is not suitable area for a boat ramp, the boating access will be limited to kayaks and small boats. Location: This park is located is a very central area in Beaufort. This park can serve as a turnaround point for bikers and pedestrians that are traveling on the new Cedar Street bike and pedestrian path. This park is very close to the waterfront along Front Street, this park could serve as an additional attraction for tourists visiting the waterfront area. Visibility of Park from new U.S. Highway 70 Bridge: When people are driving across the new U.S. Highway 70 Bridge they will be able to clearly see this park. The aesthetics should be pleasing enough to these passerby s, to interest them in what the park has to offer, and will end up visiting the park. PARK ELEMENTS: Overall Theme: The overall design of this park will be nautical and pier/pylon themed. The overall theme of the park will closely resemble Shevans Park in Morehead, North Carolina. Below is an example of the pier/pylon theme in Shevans Park. 1

2 Gazebo: The gazebo in this park will be a major attraction for park users. This gazebo provides great shade for park users and can also be reserved for private parties, outdoor concerts, and outdoor educational activities. The gazebo will offer great views of the surrounding waters and annual activities like the July 4 th fireworks show. The design of this gazebo will be a combination of gazebos at Jaycee Park in Morehead, North Carolina and Havens Park in Washington, North Carolina. Below are examples of the gazebo in Jaycee Park, gazebo in Havens Park, and the gazebo in the official design. 2

3 Jaycee Park Morehead City, North Carolina Havens Park Washington, North Carolina 3

4 Gazebo in Park Design 4

5 Seating: Benches will be placed throughout the entire park to provide users with areas to relax and take in the scenery. Below is an example of some of the benches in the park design. 5

6 Fishing Pier: The fishing pier in this park is going to be one of the main attractions for visitors. The Town of Beaufort is strongly urged to negotiate with the NCDOT to keep some of the existing concrete pylons that are currently used for the drawbridge. These concrete pylons would be ideal as foundation for the new pier that will be constructed in the park. The pier will be constructed out of wood and will closely resemble the fishing pier on 6

7 Radio Island. The fishing pier located on Radio Island has been extremely successful since its construction, and it has held up to hurricanes in the past few years. It is obvious that people enjoy the actual design of this pier and its design is durable, so overall this design will suit the new drawbridge park perfectly. Fishing Pier Morehead City, North Carolina: Fishing Pier in Park Design: 7

8 Landscaping: The landscaping in this park design will follow the coastal theme of Beaufort. The trees in this design are live oak trees, these trees will match the live oaks along Front Street over time. The trees not only improve the great aesthetics for the park, but will provide valuable shade. The smaller shrubs in this design will be a mix of purple hairgrass and 8

9 sea oats. Purple hairgrass and sea oats are native shrubs to coastal North Carolina, and would fit right in with the existing plants that are already on the site. Below are examples of live oak trees, purple hairgrass, and sea oats. Walkway: The park design incorporates a wooden walkway all throughout the park. This walkway allows visitors to get around the park with ease and it allows bikers to easily ride through. The walkway will be constructed out of a pier style wood, the actual construction of the walkway will closely resemble the wooden walkway on the waterfront along Front Street. The wooden walkway is not only attractive but it is cheaper than concrete and it is very durable. 9

10 Waterfront Walkway Beaufort, North Carolina: 10

11 Walkway in Park Design: Entrance: The entrance will consist of pylons cut to different lengths. At the center of the entrance of the park the pylons will be placed close together provide a surface to place a sign. The 11

12 pylons will be paced further apart on the Northern side of the park to prevent people from parking inside of the park area. Entrance Design: Kayak Launch Site: Parking: As the park site is not suitable for a boat ramp, the best option is to have an area for boaters to launch kayaks and small boats. The sandy beach area on the north side of the site is a great area for boaters to launch their kayaks and small boats. Parking is a primary issue for this park. Fishermen currently park near the existing drawbridge, and throughout the beach on the north side of the site. Not only is dangerous, it ruins the aesthetics of the area. The Town of Beaufort should consider purchasing the vacant lot on the corner of Orange St. and Cedar St., and create a parking lot which would be suitable for this site. The parking lot will be connected to the proposed bike and pedestrian path along Cedar Street, this will give visitors a clear and safe path to the park. The distance from this proposed parking lot to the new park is only about 2 blocks, which is very walkable for most people. Below is a picture of the parking lot in the design. 12

13 Restrooms: There will be a mobile restroom in the proposed parking lot. This bathroom facility will be on skids, so it can be relocated easily when hurricanes/storms are coming. Keeping the bathroom in the parking lot will maintain the aesthetics of the park, because one out of place bathroom may ruin the aesthetics of park for some visitors. Osprey Platforms: There will be three to four osprey platforms on the north side of the site on the beach. These platforms provide ospreys with a great home and it also creates more scenery for visitors. Below is an example of an osprey platform. 13

14 Connectivity: Cedar Street Bike/Pedestrian Re-Design: This park is in a very important area for the Cedar Street bike and pedestrian redesign, the park can serve as a turnaround point for bikes and pedestrians traveling down Cedar Street. It is very important that the park is designed to connect to the new Cedar Street bike and pedestrian redesign. Front Street Historical District: This park is very close to the waterfront along Front Street. People visiting waterfront will have the opportunity to extend their stay and visit this park. It is very important that this park has some attractions to draw in these waterfront visitors. Implementation/Funding Opportunities: (Grants listed below are archived, some may no longer be accepting applications) Levitt AMP Grant: Levitt Pavilions has announced a new matching grant opportunity serving small and mid-sized cities across the country. 10 grantees will be awarded up to $25K each in matching funds to produce their own Levitt AMP [Your City] Music Series---an outdoor, free concert series featuring a diverse lineup of high caliber entertainment. National Endowment for the Arts Our Town Program: The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) seeks applications for its popular "Our Town" grants program, which awards anywhere from $25,000 to $200,000 to deserving "creative placemaking" projects. To date, the NEA has given $6 million to 190 projects in all U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Outdoor Nation and Merrell: Outdoor Nation and Merrell have announced the launch of the second cycle of the 2013 Pack Project Grants Program working to increase participation in active outdoor recreation while also creating meaningful connections to the natural world. Five Star/Urban Waters Restoration Program: The Five Star/Urban Waters Restoration Program seeks to develop community capacity to sustain local natural resources for future generations by providing modest financial assistance to diverse local partnerships for wetland, forest, riparian and coastal habitat restoration with a particular focus on urban waters and watersheds. Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities Grant Program: Wells Fargo and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation seek to promote sustainable communities through Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities by supporting highly-visible projects that link economic development and community well-being to the stewardship and health of the environment. 14

15 Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation: The Lowe s Charitable and Educational Foundation has works to improve the communities and schools they serve. The foundation supports nonprofit organizations and public institutions that support public education and community improvement and has grant funds available for playground projects ($5,000-$25,000). Shade Structure Grant Program: The American Academy of Dermatology's Shade Structure Grant Program awards grants to public schools and non-profit organizations for installing permanent shade structures for outdoor locations that are not protected from the sun, such as playgrounds. Each grant is valued at up to $8,000, which includes the structure and installation. The Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) Program: The OSLDA Program is a state-financed grant program that provides funding assistance to local government agencies for acquisition and/or development of land for public parks and open space. National Park Service Land & Water Conservation Fund: States and local governments are eligible to apply for matching grants to fund public outdoor recreation and areas and facilities. Outdoor Recreational Grant Program: The National Park Service (NPS) sponsors the Outdoor Recreational Grant program through the Land & Water Conservation Fund. Grants are used to acquire land and plan and develop recreational areas such as playgrounds, tennis courts, outdoor swimming pools, hiking trails, picnic areas, campgrounds, and boat-launching ramps. Funds are also used to build restrooms, water systems, and other support facilities for the general public. States, cities, counties, and park districts are eligible to apply for these grants, and over the course of NPS s history, more than $5 billion has been awarded for preservation and recreation grants. Funds are allocated as matching with state grants. The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) provides dollar-for-dollar matching grants to local governments for parks and recreational projects to serve the public. 15