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| The public meetings held during May-June 2006 were well attended and yielded many valuable comments and insights, all of which will be held in consideration during our master planning process. Below is a summary of the public commentary.
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Summary of Input from Public Meetings: Programs |
Historic exhibits: Vintage Armsmear photos; history of school gardening at Colt Park; Wawarme Street dyke/dam; history of immigrants (growing of plants such as tobacco in the CT River valley which brought many Puerto Ricans to Hartford); tools, tobacco sheds, oral histories, medicinal plants that they brought with them Botanic garden as a hub of and guide to a city-wide Hartford Arboretum (to include all the parks) – orient visitors to resources of all the parks, especially since there isn't room for an entire arboretum collection at the Colt Park site. Give collaborative tree tour. Similar to existing "CT Wine Trail" and "Impressionist Trail" Science curriculum (especially with the adjacent high school) in line with the new science curriculum established by the Dept of Education; resource for area schools in providing expertise on how to build/maintain a greenhouse Educational programs linked to both elementary schools and to college-level students Use this site as a guide to how historic parks and landscapes were designed. Keney was the "forest park" with entirely native species. Docent program for volunteers to teach, give senior tours, neighborhood tours, etc. Possible classes: photography, craft, cooking (using edible plants); master gardening; instruction on how to create small urban garden; workshops that offer scholarships for low-income people Greenhouse(s) could be used to teach entrepreneurship and farming education Student internships desired – particularly targeted towards kids who are on the verge of dropping out of school. Tie-in with Future Farmers of America program Meeting space for local horticultural societies; smaller horticultural organizations could also use some small office space as a base of operations. Possible partnerships: Hartford Hospital, Connecticut Science Exploration Center, The Village for Families & Children, Learning Corridor, Cedar Hill Cemetery (where Sam and Elizabeth Colt are buried) Research: historic relation of humans to the land: how as cities grew that relationship changed Demonstration gardens and planters are a priority For kids: ladybugs, caterpillars, butterflies, children's maze, rain garden Lead 'Dream Tours' of the site early in the process, in order to show visitors what is planned and how to visualize what can be developed (with their help). After-school and summer programs for kids |
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Summary of Input from Public Meetings: Plants and Environment |
Historic/heirloom plants, especially plants prior to European settlement (pre-Colonial); what was in the kitchen gardens of the original houses of Hartford. Plants good for urban horticulture, rooftop gardening, container gardening, small gardens Organic/non-genetically-modified vs non-organic/genetically-modified Water gardens and features Sensorial gardens (olfactory/taste/tactile) gardens for preschoolers Inter-generational and wheelchair-accessible gardens and areas Edible plants from other regions of the world representing over 60 nationalities living in Hartford; plants from home regions of Hartford residents Food crops to supply local restaurants Emphasis should be on Connecticut-grown plants/indigenous species Orchids for inside conservatory Re-establish some of the original plants from the Colt collection, such as willow trees Desirable elements: a fernery, sculpture garden, ice sculptures, plant shows and exhibits Four-Season Plants: Plants with winter interest, as well as garden areas that demonstrate the interaction between gardens and wildlife/birdlife during the winter months; plants that attract and provide food for birds Holistic, healing gardens A garden containing plants that some may consider weeds but others desirable because of their culinary or medicinal value (such as dandelion, purslane, etc.) |
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Summary of Input from Public Meetings: Site Features |
Following/accentuating the natural paths" in the park (where people now walk that aren't necessarily marked as paths) rather than erasing them would help to integrate the plan with neighborhood and community. The gardens should not appear to be "elite" but rather accessible and in harmony with neighborhood – especially the youth of the area. Likely that casual visitors would be mothers with children so there's a need for area where adults can sit and chat while kids can be occupied. Should have a lot of benches and places to rest and reflect. Add water feature back into the park. Provide a pond that could be used for skating during the winter. Convenient parking is desired Make sure the plan allows sufficient room for bus dropoff and parking. In conjunction with accommodating conventioneer shopping, a drop-off area for cabs or short-term parking is desirable. Discussed traffic impact on Stonington Street. Parks Dept trucks would enter their area off of Stonington Street instead of through the park as they currently do. Site should be as "uniquely Colt" as possible. Priority should be to return the area as much as possible to what it was in Colt's day. There was a WWI memorial – an allee of elms – most of which died. Historic markers are stored in the ice house; can this be re-established? Preserve existing trees Develop a bike/walking path that can link from HBG and the proposed underpass to Riverfront Recapture adjacent to Colt Gateway. Provide good signage system for historical markers related to Colt legacy, as well as clear way-finding for entrance, parking, and access to the facilities. Consider using Green Roof demonstration area. Perhaps over service bays? |
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Summary of Input from Public Meetings: Other/Miscellaneous |
Income Sources: Admissions, Membership, Grants, Gift Shop, Private Events (Weddings, parties) What is the potential for employment, particularly for people from the surrounding neighborhoods? Could there be an internship program? Park ranger? Should there be a restaurant on the grounds? Market carts that vend ice cream, popcorn and other snacks (a la Central Park)? Is this a "touchable" space, or a "viewing only" space? Should be a strong component that is unique – something that would draw visitors from afar Conservatory is critical to attracting visitors Should be an escape during the winter months Should have green buildings, composting, rain barrels. Bury some of "back-of-house" operations into the hill with green roof. Or present as an educational feature. Can be a destination at the end of a walking tour of Main Street. Develop a system of historical signage that can easily inform visitors of items of historical interest along Main Street as well as on the HBG site itself (similar to Freedom Trail). Link with Butler-McCook House/Garden, as well as with Wadsworth. Create brochure to guide visitors to each. Shuttle bus linkage to other sights/sites in the city would help to minimize parking needs (in keeping with the goals of sustainability), and can allow visitors to incorporate the Botanical Garden into a half or full-day visit to the city. The architecture of the Conservatory should be compatible with the surroundings and the historical legacy of the Armsmear, but it should be of its own time (state-of-the-art, sustainable design), not a historic recreation. Hand-outs on how to grow specific plants is desired Special seasonal displays Resource center and library Community gardening area could be included |