Summary of input from our second meeting on September 27th:
The meetings take place in the main parish hall at the Fountain Community Church on Broadway and Halleck, right next to the plaza, thanks to Rick Quall and his parish.

Goals for 2nd Meeting:
Focus on the fountain
Water features 101 by Dave Misterly of Alpine Ponds and Water Gardens
The meeting evolved to include brainstorming about the entire space due to the interconnected design of the fountain with the entire plaza

The design charette has been developing the park's personality as a combination of historical, natural, and whimsical aspects with interactive components. The excitement over the gateway concept as a source for neighborhood pride and identity continues to be developed.

Discussions were had around how people approach the plaza on foot or from vehicles - where are the natural entrances and how do we facilitate the larger flow of pedestrian and other traffic around and through the space.
Are visual view corridors balanced with the need for a sheltered feeling that makes you want to linger? What makes people funnel more through the plaza?
Possible enhancements for the plaza could include:

• Game ideas: Hopscotch, chessboard table, tic tac toe
• Permanent chess / checkers table
• Covered bus stop / possibly integrated with covered table
• Stamped concrete "plank road"
• Other stamps into concrete like horseshoe prints, wagon wheel tracks, human, dog prints
• Small benches for 2 people - steel or polished rock benches
• End tables to the benches
• Benches closer to fountain
• Replace some concrete with grass
• Historical lighting
• Lighting for fountain and big maple tree
• Interactivity
• Art incorporated into the large metal anchor tower such as mosaic or other decoration
• Interpretive signage about history
• Drinking fountain for people and pets Note: This references the Peabody estate's original intent for it to be a watering place for "man and beast."
• Using vines and arbors
• Rainwater catchment that dumps into fountain via an interactive fountain component
• The idea of a symphony of sounds was developed with elements such as:
• Water fountain sounds would be loud enough to be heard amongst traffic sounds
• Rain can be heard on the metallic shelter roof
• Chimes or pipes activated by wind could be installed as audible wind installations; the site is known to have strong gusty winds.
• Include something that adds the element of surprise and exploration, like a trail that has something around a bend, or a button that squirts a stream of water somewhere else in the fountain.
• How can we incorporate elements that honor past, current, and future history in the plaza?
  

Fountain ideas:

• Horse drinking from trough or pool
• Natural rock columns with fountains flowing down the columns
• Pondless waterfall through rocks and plants
• Something whimsical with different moving parts triggering each other - Rube Goldberg-esque
• Incorporate used/historical materials
• Horse theme could be implemented with steel fabricated horse shadow/outline shapes

What would YOU like to see? Email us your comments here or come to the meetings.

Meeting 3: Oct. 11 - Thurs - 7-9 p.m.
Overall Site Design for the Fountain Plaza - How would the community like to see the entire plaza re-created.

Meeting 4: Nov 7 - Weds - 7-9 p.m.
Finalize the vision by showing 3 different possible plans and taking feedback to refine the final vision.

We will make the final 3 plans available on RE Store and RE Sources websites and present our final concept at neighborhood association meetings in November/December. After the community-based design is completed at the end of 2007, funds will be sought to finance redevelopment of the site.

Please contact Jason Darling, RE Store Outreach & Marketing Manager via email at jason(at)re-store.org with questions or input for the process until November 7th. If you don't have email, call him at his home office: 734-7161.

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