Donahue Park

Redesigning a neighborhood park to meet new coastal requirements

Donahue Park is located in downtown Pawcatuck, CT along the Pawcatuck River. The site falls under the jurisdiction of the Stonington Waterfront Commission and thus the design met stringent coastal requirements. The site is a popular spot for passive recreation as well as providing a boat launch for canoes and kayaks.

Landscape Elements LLC worked with community groups to develop a design and construction documents for completion of new improvements to the site. The work was initiated subsequent to major spring flooding in 2010 which inundated the entire park.

Site improvements include:

• Shade trees tolerant of coastal conditions
• Decorative site lighting using LED luminaires
• Brick walks and pavements on permeable bases to manage stormwater
• Crushed stone edge for snow storage from parking lot
• Rain gardens to filter surface water runoff
• Native plant material tolerant of coastal conditions
• New benches and lighted billboards for safety
• Reuse of gazebo & existing granite benches