LEWES CANALFRONT PARK
LEWES CANALFRONT PARK
As with many shore communities on the Delaware Bay, development pressures in Lewes have contributed to the loss of open space as well as public access to the waterfront for residents. Andropogon worked with the City of Lewes and the community to plan a new city park and vital open space that captures the character and history of the town and provides an opportunity to reconnect the historic town core to the waterfront.
A commitment to sustainably planning the canal front area meant considering and understanding a wide range of concerns, such as the impacts of flood regimes and water quality, managing the impacts of traffic and parking while ensuring pedestrian safety, preserving and enhancing historic urban streetscape character, and protecting and preserving native plant communities.
A highly participatory planning process included interviews, workshops, and user surveys to achieve a common understanding of the goals and objectives of both the community and the city. More than 100 people attended Andropogon’s Community Design Workshop to provide their input concerning planning and design concepts and priorities for the park.
In 2012 we got to see our newly-completed design put to the test, as Super Storm Sandy battered the East Coast, its center passing just north of the area. Designed to withstand just this type of event, the project was able to quickly bounce back, absorbing several feet of surge in the planted areas, with no need for replanting or repairing any of the major structures on site.
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