Below are a few pictures of our fine crew setting the 6×6 edging timbers around the planned activity area for children along the shared-use path in Waterford Park. The area will include:
- On the slab: two teak benches and four shorter children’s seats including a concrete turtle and two flower-shaped seats
- Around the slab: five species of native warm-season grasses that thrive in hot, dry weather
- Behind and to the sides of the planted area: three native species cultivars: two prairiefire crabapples and a Princeton elm
This is a cooperative effort indeed. The City dug out the area, poured the slab, brought the timbers to the site and drilled the holes for the anchoring rebar. They are also providing two teak benches. FWP is providing four imaginative children’s seats to go in between the benches. We finished the digging out, set the timbers and will provide and plant native grasses.
Bartlett Tree Experts is purchasing three trees and bringing good mulch.
Dwight Moser loaned us his hefty rototiller to loosen the soil underneath the dug-out area. Native grasses get very deep roots (thus the species we are planting are drought-tolerant).
I, for one, have great respect for any contractor who can get edging installed efficiently, but we are getting it done ourselves!
We should have the grasses planted next Sunday in the topsoil (mixed with existing soil) that we are having delivered this week.
Stay tuned for mulch, benches and trees soon to follow.
Meanwhile give a hearty thank-you to Peter, Joe, Kevin, Sara, Fran, Kathy and Lesley if you spot them. They are the tired-looking ones!
– Ginny
