Riley Park in downtown Farmington is in the final stages of a redesign that will make it more useful and better equipped to handle the crowds and traffic it pulls for downtown events.
The redesign brings in more sidewalks, paved pathways and a decorative and practical paved compass rose and will also save money on the replacement of grass after busy spring and summer events such as concerts, artists markets and storytimes.
The improvements to Riley Park, which was designed about 10 years ago as more of a passive park than an active one, were brought on by the addition of an ice skating rink last winter. The redesign will allow for an easy transfer from winter use to summer use.
"We had to provide some improvements so the park could accept the ice rink every year," says Annette Knowles, executive director of the
Farmington Downtown Development Authority. "We always looked at it as an opportunity to re-examine our uses for the park throughout the year."
"Ten years ago, since the park was designed, the uses have changed and are much more intense than what the park was designed for."
Source: Annette Knowles, executive director, Farmington DDA
Writer: Kim North Shine
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