The new Open Hearth Park, on former industrial tar ponds, reunites three communities while capturing residents’ heritage and spirit previously divided by the contaminated site. Developed largely with the community’s input, the design balances active and passive uses, an inspiring and educational use of interpretive and sculptural elements, naturalized landscapes, waterfront access and an interactive play environment.
All of this was achieved amidst the challenges of an ultra-contaminated site, which meant working with a team of experts from a variety of disciplines to combat soil remediation, conform to site loading requirements, and adapt the waterfront site to act as a buffer for storms, flooding, and potential effects of climate change.
Materials are locally sourced or native, maintenance access is achieved via shared greenway passages, and the design team provided a detailed site manual with a plan to continue monitoring the site’s long term sustainability.
