By TIM DONNELLYtdonnelly@islandpacket.com 843-706-8145
Published Saturday, April 26, 2008
Hilton Head Island's grand experiment in park design will be introduced to the public for the first time today.
The town will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Compass Rose Park, located on the corner of Pope Avenue and New Orleans Road.
The project symbolizes a new era in parks for the island, diverging from the usual ball fields or passive open space to a more urban design.
Here are some park facts:
B. What is it?
A mix of urban architecture and natural beauty. The park transitions from terraced plazas with several art installations down to a path leading into the marshland, with a waterfall and reflection pool along the way.
The name and planned art installations are an homage to Sea Pines. The compass rose was the first emblem of the island's first modern development.
Other art pieces will pay tribute to the history of the community and its founder, Charles Fraser.
How much did it cost?
The work has cost just more than $1 million thus far, and could be up to $1.3 million when everything is complete.
What are some of the highlights?
The park includes a variety of plants, but they won't be saplings. The town has purchased several large live oaks 8-12 inches in diameter instead of 1- to 2-inch young trees, urban designer Ed Drane said.
"We wanted it to look like the landscaping had matured for a while," he said. "We didn't want it to look brand new."
Two art fixtures also have been installed at the park: a partially rotating fountain and a bronze cast compass rose that was used at the entrance to Sea Pines when it first opened. The fountain also contains a compass rose symbol, which will always point north, Drane said. The fountain itself weights more than 22,000 pounds, he said.
Two more pieces of art are planned: a story wall showing the history of Sea Pines and a statue of the iconic image of Charles Fraser "walking" an alligator.
The story wall will be installed once the statue is complete, Drane said. Savannah sculptor Susie Chisolm has been selected to create the statue, which will take about nine months.
When is the ribbon-cutting?
A ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. today to officially open the park.
Speakers include town manager Steve Riley, Mayor Tom Peeples and Joe Fraser III.
Parking is limited at the site, but the town has permission to use bank parking across the street for the event.
Fraser's vision missing in Compass Rose park
Published Monday, April 21, 2008
Charles Fraser inspired a generation of architects and planners to create communities that reflected the natural beauty of the environment. Open spaces would retain their natural beauty and require little maintenance.
Fast forward: Although Town Council talks of finding the proper balance between development and environmental protection, trucks slowly filled the corner of New Orleans Road and Pope Avenue with a maze of masonry walls, which are just high enough to intimidate the visitor from entering and preventing the breeze from flowing. Pets will leave their odors and constant maintenance will be required for its pools and concrete surfaces.
What was a simple open space has now been replaced with a sea of concrete, where those who miss urban pocket parks and blight can bask (and bake) within this concrete sanctuary. Add some graffiti and when visitors are turned off by the beach and nature's beauty, they can visit this shrine to the wonders of concrete. Mayor Tom Peeples was right about the need for security cameras.
A prediction: Within a few years the storms will blow the white canvas off the tented roofs; accidents in the wading pools and maintenance costs will cause them to be drained and filled with dirt and plants; gates will be erected to keep nighttime visitors away; and the walls will be lowered or removed to create a secure and user friendly environment -- the type of open space that Charles would have enjoyed. It is now too late, but let us remember his legacy in future "open space" designs.
Harvey Geiger
Hilton Head Island
Charlie Fraser, President, CHARLES FRASER REALTY GROUP is the nephew of Charles Fraser and son of Joe Fraser. He has a team of real estate agents that are profesional and honest in there comimitment to the finding the right real estate for our clients. Give them a call or visit our website.
Office 843-671-3312
or email us info@FraserRealty.net
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