by dvmosomy | Friday, December 20, 2024 |
Waterwheel Park is an important point of interest along the Clear Creek Greenway trail and serves as an interpretive location for the Charlie Taylor Water Wheel, an iconic structure in Idaho Springs. The project has also developed educational features that discuss the significance of Native Americans in the area and the adjacent Brown Trout habitat in Clear Creek.
The redesign and reconstruction of Water Wheel Park is being done in conjunction with a larger regional project, Peak Period Shoulder Lane. These park improvements will mitigate the impacts to the park as a result of the road widening. The park improvements include constructing river access to Clear Creek, an enlarged park space, native plantings, and aesthetic features relating back to the history of the site.
Water Wheel Park was completed in July 2016.
by dvmosomy | Friday, December 20, 2024 |
THK was retained by the Bessemer Historical Society to develop a conceptual plan for the placement of several Steel Mill artifacts west of, and adjacent to, I-25 on the north side of the former CF&I Dispensary building. THK developed a conceptual plan that focused on creating visibility of the large artifacts on display to travelers on I-25, improving visibility and circulation to the main museum door entrance, and incorporating circulation to and around the existing Mine Rescue Car. The concept also focused on pedestrian spaces, interpretive opportunities, xeric landscape practices and the display and reuse of historic elements.
Following the development and approval of the concept design, THK was again retained to complete construction documentation and cost estimating for the construction of the Steelworks Park. During the construction document phase, THK worked closely with the Historical Society Board of Directors and Staff as well as the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). This project was required to undertake a CDOT review because funding for the park construction was obtained through an Intergovernmental Agreement. To date, all required clearances have been obtained.
THK and the Historical Society also worked closely with the City of Pueblo to meet City development objectives. The Construction documents and specifications were completed on time and on budget. THK developed all bid documents and has assisted the Bessemer Historical Society in Bid Administration and CDOT coordination. The project was completed in fall of 2017.
by dvmosomy | Friday, December 20, 2024 |
The Sherpa Trail was once a prominent pedestrian corridor on the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs (UCCS) Campus. The trail linked student housing with the main campus by traversing a hillside on the north end of the campus. Frequent storm events, steep trail grades and underlying bedrock compounded to cause progressive erosion of the existing crusher fines trail until it was deemed unsafe for student travel and closed by campus staff in 2015.
THK was contracted by UCCS to redesign approximately 400 linear feet of the Sherpa Trail to improve drainage, reduce erosion and design a resilient trail with a low environmental impact. The Sherpa Trail alignment has an average 15% slope and exposed bedrock on the hillside that contributes to increased destructive runoff during storm events. In order to ensure long term sustainability, it was essential to separate the natural drainage patterns in this area with the new trail surface.
THK used U.S. Forest Service standards and details to design an elevated boardwalk system that steps up the hillside for nearly 26 vertical feet and maintains a minimum six-inch separation from the bottom of the boardwalk to the top of the exposed bedrock, allowing natural drainage patterns and environmental function to remain, while providing a safe route for pedestrian travel along the steep grade. Interpretive signage was installed in four locations along the route to educate visitors about the unique environmental conditions of this area and new campus recreational programing aims to increase trail usage and further connect students with the environment on the UCCS campus.
by dvmosomy | Friday, December 20, 2024 |
The Silver Plume Mountain Park Master Plan was developed in 2023 by THK Associates, Inc. after the Town of Silver Plume purchased =/- 200 acres from the Jack Pine Mining Claim lands. These lands, in addition to other lands already held by the Town account for the 265 acre Silver Plume Mountain Park. The lands will be protected in perpetuity with a conservation easement held by the Colorado Historical Foundation.
The purpose of this Master Plan was to provide a guiding document for the preservation and management of the area which includes structures and artifacts from approximately 100 years of mining history in the area. The Park captures one of the most well-preserved cultural landscapes in the region.
The Master Plan looks closely at the existing conditions of the site. Several regionally important operations such as mining and quarrying were conducted the Park boundaries and many of the sites have completed inventory forms per the National Registry requirements. As a part of this project, ERO Resources completed and additional four inventory forms of cultural resources within the project.
The Master Plan developed goals and values of the property, and then provides detailed information for additional development and conservation of the site including security of the artifacts and oversight and stewardship plans for the Park. Finally, implementation plans were developed to include project partners, time frames and conceptual budgets for improvements and available funding sources.
The Master Plan will be used as a guiding document for the Town of Silver Plume Mountain Park Commission as well as the Colorado Historical Foundation to maintain the historical integrity of the site, provide additional recreational and interpretive opportunities, and monitor and document the site in the future.
by dvmosomy | Friday, December 20, 2024 |
Grant Frontier Park is the focal point of the South Platte River Vision. THK led a multi-disciplinary team effort to transform that vision into a cohesive experiential park, bringing pedestrian activity back to a long-neglected river corridor. Grant Frontier Park features passive and active recreation, educational opportunities and vital regional trail connectivity. The park provides abundant ADA access to trail, play areas and the river encouraging use by all visitors.
Notable highlights of the park are an environmental play area, outdoor education zones and a complete redesign of the existing regional trail. Natural play areas feature unstructured elements like fallen logs, river boulders and other locally sourced natural materials. Denver Public Schools and SPREE utilize the park to encourage problem solving and experiential learning. The redesign of the regional trail improved ADA accessible river access and addressed safety concerns.
The environmental playground at Grant Frontier Park was a unique component of this project and encourages exploration and discovery of the natural world. Fallen logs and boulders recycled from the project will be reused to create the Environmental Playground and provide a distinctive user experience. A constructed island and jetty provide a personal experience with the main channel of the river itself. All these diverse experiences are ADA accessible and cater to the wide range of participants this regional park attracts. The opportunity to explore, create and ‘get dirty’ in nature is an exciting and stimulating experience for urban families.
The project also completed a redesign of the 10’ regional trail to a 12’ regional trail encourages multi-modal use by both pedestrians and bicyclists, while reducing the occurrence of conflict between the two. A network of local 5’ gravel trails accessed from the regional trail encourages exploration of wetland, riparian and upland habitat zones along the length of this regional trail section and within the environmental playgrounds.
