The site is at sub grade and the contractor expects to have all capping material on site by

January 17^th. I (Luke) performed a site inspection with Hargreaves to verify the grades and proper landforms. Once the contractor has finished capping, they will stop for the winter. The entire site will be rolled to compact the capping material, and hay bales and silt fencing will be put in place to prevent any erosion over the winter. Contractor also began pier construction. The piles have been cut and capped to their specified height and decking has begun. Pier will be complete, minus the railing, by late next week. Temporary fencing will be placed along the front of the pier to restrict access. If you have questions, call Luke at Parks at 617-961-3031.

Stone Dust: The current material specified for most of the paths is compacted stone dust, which would be a 4-inch layer of stone dust over a 4-inch base of crushed aggregate. The central pathway leading up the cone section is proposed as top-seeded asphalt due to a steeper incline. Stone dust is a very fine, semi-permeable material used often for residential landscapes, woodland walks and golf courses. It is a cost effective alternative for many landscapes. Benefits: a) it’s semi-porous; b) It’s relatively easy to patch, although it becomes tough if material migrates; and c) It’s natural looking. Cons: a) It tends to loosen over time and to erode and shift; b) Even with steel edging, it will eventually creep into unwanted areas, killing the grasses along the edge and creating erosion lines in the pathway channel; c) It will migrate over time, creating a wear line in the middle of pathway that must be replenished on a regular basis; d) Since it is semi-porous, over time, weeds will begin to proliferate and take over. This would require a significant amount of maintenance, especially in areas where herbicides are not preferable; and e) The edging (galvanized material) will eventually chip and rust. Constant battering can dislodge the edging, especially where pathways come to a point. The proposed design, although very interesting and complex, creates many pointed intersections where the steel edging could pose a major maintenance hazard in the future.

Exposed Aggregate Concrete: Exposed aggregate concrete is a highly durable material used often for pathway construction. Parks usually doesn’t use it due to it’s higher than average cost. It is often used on higher end residential and commercial projects where a naturalistic, slip resistant texture is desirable. Pathway construction usually consists of a 4" concrete pad over a 6-inch aggregate base. The entire area is formed using wood strips and the concrete is batched with the specified aggregate in the mix. Once the concrete is floated a special "retarder" agent is applied by a sprayer. This retards the setting of the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch of concrete. After 24 hours the entire pathway is power washed to expose the aggregate underneath. The color of the stone is the major factor in the finish of the concrete. The stone will dictate the color and surface texture of the finish. It is therefore imperative to get the right stone in the mix. Benefits: a) Resistance to erosion, durability to foot traffic, slip resistance and a consistent finish; and b) Maintenance is minimal except for possible patching with epoxy should a crack develop. Surface can be easily power washed and swept if necessary to remove grass clippings, leaves, etc. Cons: a) It will eventually break down. However, with proper cleaning and maintenance this finish will last for 20 years or more; b) "Harder" material in appearance; c) More expensive (however, due to the Boston Sand and Gravel settlement to provide us with up to $25,000 worth of concrete, there would be no net difference in cost to go with the exposed finish concrete).