Transforming Visitor Access at Le Pays De La Sagouine
East Coast Docks enhanced visitor experience at Greenwich National Park by creating a durable EZTrail walkway that blends accessibility, safety, and environmental sustainability. Our modular, low-impact design preserves natural habitats while accommodating high traffic. With long-lasting, low-maintenance materials, this innovative project offers a stable, eco-friendly solution that stands up to harsh coastal conditions.
Before: Challenges at Le Pays De La Sagouine
Before our intervention, the trails at Greenwich National Park faced significant challenges. Visitors were navigating uneven terrain, shifting sands, and delicate ecosystems, creating safety hazards and limiting their ability to fully experience the area’s stunning natural beauty. Frequent erosion and unstable paths posed risks, especially for families, elderly guests, and those with limited mobility. Additionally, the fragile habitats surrounding the trails were at risk of damage due to increased foot traffic and exposure to harsh elements. These conditions highlighted the need for a more stable, inclusive, and environmentally conscious solution to maintain visitor engagement and preserve the natural environment for future generations. The lack of accessibility further restricted the park’s potential to offer an inclusive and memorable experience for all its guests.
Designing the Solution: Crafting an Inclusive, Durable Walkway
To address these challenges, our team at East Coast Docks developed a custom EZTrail solution that prioritized accessibility, durability, and environmental preservation. Our modular design allowed for flexible configurations that fit seamlessly into the park’s unique contours while minimizing disruption. This
eco-friendly design was not only aesthetically aligned with the surrounding natural beauty but also engineered to protect and enhance the environment.
PROJECT GOALS
SAFE & ACCESSIBLE
We aimed to design stable, ADA-compliant walkways that offer safe and easy access to Greenwich’s breathtaking trails, ensuring a secure and enjoyable experience for all visitors.
LOW MAINTENANCE
Our goal was to create a walkway using marine-grade aluminum and reinforced polyethylene to withstand harsh weather and saltwater exposure, providing long-lasting durability with minimal upkeep.
ECO-FRIENDLY
We sought to carefully integrate a low-impact trail into the landscape, preserving natural habitats while accommodating high visitor traffic and blending sustainability with tourism excellence.
Installation: Precision with Minimal Impact
The installation process required a strategic, phased approach to minimize environmental impact, much of which took place over the winter when the water was frozen. Working in these conditions allowed us to minimize disruption during peak visitor seasons while ensuring a stable foundation for our walkway. Our process included:
Phased, Off-Site Assembly: Constructing sections remotely reduced on-site disturbances, improved efficiency, and allowed us to take advantage of the frozen landscape for easier transportation and placement.
Float-In Method Adaptation: Although typically used in open water, our approach was adjusted for frozen conditions, enabling precise placement with minimal impact on the surrounding environment.
Secure Anchoring: Using specialized moorings, we ensured the walkway remained stable, adapting our techniques to ensure a solid and secure installation even during extreme cold.
This careful winter installation minimized disruptions and reinforced our commitment to both quality and environmental conservation.
Results: Transforming Visitor Experience
The results speak for themselves. Our new EZTrail walkway has transformed Greenwich National Park, making it a safer, more accessible destination for all visitors. By providing a stable, ADA-compliant pathway, we have reduced hazards and opened new opportunities for exploration. The durable, low-maintenance design continues to withstand the coastal elements, while blending harmoniously with the park’s natural landscape.
Visitors and park officials alike have praised the improvements, highlighting the enhanced safety, accessibility, and seamless integration of our walkway into this treasured site. Our project has not only elevated visitor experiences but also supported sustainable tourism, preserving Greenwich’s beauty for future generations.
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