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Date: 7/5/2023
MONSON — The Conway School students Adam Stoumen and Maricela Escobar have proposed a new environmentally friendly redesign for the Flynt Park and Homestead Trailheads, hoping to increase recreational use and accessibility.
In a presentation to Monson residents and town officials, the students outlined their vision, building on work initiated by the Replanting Tree Committee of Monson following the devastating 2011 tornado that struck the town.
The committee’s initial goal was to replant street trees damaged by the tornado. Having achieved that, the Replanting Committee shifted support to the Flynt and Homestead Trailheads.
“Why a trail plan and why now?” Stoumen asked. “A trail plan can be a physical tie to a place, a way of structuring experience and increasing use and accessibility.” The project has gained momentum thanks to available funds and community support.
The project’s primary goal is to connect Flynt Park and the Keep Homestead Museum through an integrated trail system, which will improve wayfinding, accommodate a range of difficulty levels, and create an accessible trail experience.
The plan will also highlight and celebrate the existing destinations. Escobar said a community engagement session was also held at the Wellness Fair.
“One of the takeaways we got from those conversations was that not many knew about the trails,” she said.
A crucial part of their analysis focuses on the slopes and drainage of the site.
“We have steeper slopes and faster water drainage on the east side and a slower pace of water flow on the west side,” explained Stoumen.
The students called for a comfortable recreational experience by maintaining dry trails and addressing wet areas.
The proposed redesign starts with a clear and welcoming trailhead at both sites.
“Neither of them has a true system of signs of data trail maps and formal gathering areas,” Stoumen said. “But what they do have in common is site-specific histories and views.”
Stoumen and Escobar believe these distinctive features will increase users’ understanding and appreciation of the parks.
The physical factors visitors face and a perceived disconnect between both locales are vital considerations. Also, slope, drainage, vegetation type and entrance sequences contribute to the disconnect between the parcels, which the designers want to address.
Stoumen and Escobar described precedents of other successful trailhead projects, highlighting the importance of distinct arrival sequences, dedicated pedestrian walkways, signage and visually appealing entrances to mark a trail’s start.
“The project goal is to connect Flynt Park and Keep Homestead Museum through realigning the current trails into a system creating and improving the arrival experience,” Stoumen noted.
At the southern trailhead near the Keep Homestead Museum, the students proposed improvements such as distinct and visually appealing entrances, vegetative buffers and consistent signage to enhance user experience.
The students’ plan envisions a station for covered trail information kiosks, lots of seating, and views to the forest edge,” Escobar noted. Stoumen and Escobar seek community feedback on their proposal via an online survey. The presentation can also be viewed online at tinyurl.com/598cphuy.