Town of Essex was given 5 acres of land along a river and wanted to create a public park that met current recreation needs, was affordable and took advantage of the site’s unique natural features. Crane Associates used aerial photography to analyze the historic course of the river and help determine potential neighboring property conflicts. We created over 250 GPS points to document all significant natural features and to make original slope and elevation maps of the site. We conducted over 10 field visits to inventorying the site’s natural resources and scouted 8 miles of river from the park site to neighboring Westford village for potential boating hazards and flow conditions. The public was involved in the planning process through a public survey and public meetings. This project resulted in a Master Plan for a new park for the Town of Essex Vermont that included landscape renderings, sites maps, permitting processes and construction costs.
