Temple Students Bring Final Plans for Harborview, Rotary Parks

CAPE MAY — Twenty-eight students from the Temple University Department of Landscaping Architecture and Horticulture paid their fourth and final visit to the city, leaving behind construction drawings for revamps of Rotary and Harborview Parks.
At a May 5 town meeting, the Temple students presented the city with 4-foot by 4-foot scale models of both parks as well as a 4-foot by 12-foot scale model of Cape May. The students presented plans for a city pedestrian trail and an open space park on Lafayette Street between St. John’s Avenue and the elementary school.
Several alternatives were presented for the open space park. Student Julia Dougherty’s design enticed visitors to walk through wetlands paths behind the tract along Cape Island Creek. All designs included playing fields, a concession stand, a dog park and basketball courts.
Student Alexa Goodkov said he wanted to blend in the elementary school with the park, joining the two with a walkway. He included a shady picnic area, two small parking lots and a concession stand “built in Victorian house style.”
Student Charles Morris called for a shady courtyard, Bocce and shuffleboard courts and both one-quarter mile and half-mile boardwalk trails through the wetlands and creek.
Student Tom Schreier’s plans featured meadows and rain gardens and a concession stand and restrooms connected by a pergola.
Student Matt Shearon’s said the theme of his design was a family park “from the newborn to the grandfather.” He said he wanted to draw pedestrian traffic from the school and nearby public housing.
Shearon said he kept it simple with plenty of lawn space and a simple concession stand with Victorian architecture.
The finished design for Rotary Park moves the bandstand to the eastern side of the park with a sloping grass lawn useful for seating for concerts plus an open lawn space suitable for craft shows.
Student Tim Gannett said the park would feature a granite seating wall along the edge of the park, a spot for a large piece of artwork and a temporary skating rink that would be removed at the end of winter. The rink would measure 85 feet by 40-feet and could accommodate 105 skaters, according to student Jen Vaccaro.
Parking would be removed from the park side of Lyle Lane. The park would have a wrought iron fence. Trees in the park would be replaced and benches along Lafayette Street would match those on the Washington Street Mall.
Student Denise Wood said the final design of Harborview Park would reuse much of the material in the current park. A pergola would be placed at the park entrance and another at the children’s garden.
The park would have less lawn space and an educational garden at the entrance showcasing native plants. Existing sidewalks would be kept and two meadows created using native grasses and wildflower. A raised deck would offer a view of the harbor.
A “captain’s wheel” play area will have a cistern that will capture rainwater and travel through weirs to the gardens. Children will be able to pump water from the cistern and learn about how the cycle of water works.
The park will have a fishing pier.
Student Robin Irizary said the park will have interpretive signs offering information on birds, butterflies, plants, the rain garden, harbor and inner tidal zone. Plantings would attract birds and butterflies.
Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. said the students and two professors have been working with city for one year to improve the natural attraction of Cape May as a coastal resort city.
Last December, the students offered six concepts for Harborview Park, four images for Rotary Park and ideas for a trail through the city linking its best features. They listened to residents who gathered in groups who offered critiques of the conceptual plans.
The final designs were based on public consensus. The mayor said it make take 10 to 20 years for all the changes to be made to the parks.