Have Concrete, Will Travel

A plaza and promenade for local light rail and bus travelers in West Valley, Utah, was revitalized with a vibrant, park-like atmosphere that includes a concrete riverbed, seating, shade and gathering space. Three Bomanite imprinted concrete bridges with a refined six-inch boardwalk plank pattern cross the stream.

Simple, uncolored concrete and specialty-exposed aggregate surround the stage in a radial design. The kidney-shaped stage features cascading "water steps" that double as a play area.

Flanking one side was West Valley's town hall. City employees that worked adjacent to the area crossed their parking lot or look out their windows to see less-than-appealing views of West Valley. The space was not a place to play, congregate, or give a second thought.

The city of West Valley decided to turn the desolate lot into a city hub for West Valley in under a year. The project bid in August of 2011, and the city's goal was to open the new plaza and promenade the next summer.

The hardscaping team, led by Colorado Hardscapes, Inc.'s (CHI) Rick Boer, worked with the general contractor, Wadman Corporation, the city of West Valley, and designers from Stanley Consultants and GSBS Architects to meet the project's timeline and the city's vision for the area. Utah's climate is similar to Colorado, so CHI watched weather patterns and waited until November to mobilize in the Salt Lake City suburb.

The stream was cast in place with a custom form created by Colorado Hardscapes, who also worked with plumbers on site to set fill and drain lines at necessary locations and elevations. Slip-resistant boulders were added to break up the water's flow and amplify its sound.

Radial weir boxes were installed under the steps in a water trough system, which had to be formed and placed while maintaining the decorative finishes.

Sandscape and Lithocrete finishes were chosen for the water play areas due to their slip resistance. The Lithocrete finish included recycled blue glass to incorporate sustainable methods and visual interest.

A River Runs Through It
A stream flows through the new grassy promenade in a concrete bed, cast-in-place with high-end specialty finishes. The stream flows over colored Sandscape concrete with blue glass Lithocrete sparkling in the water. The riverbed meanders through the park, with small islands that create a babbling brook effect. GSBS also designed several bumps in the stream as water diverters and islands for kids to hop to and from while darting in and out of the water. Three Bomanite imprinted concrete bridges with a refined six-inch boardwalk plank pattern cross the stream.

CHI's lead superintendent for the project, Rick Boer, developed a unique form to create the channels and islands to provide monolithic pours from bank to bank of the stream. Special stainless steel grates were installed beneath each of the three bridges over the streambed to ensure no child could get injured.

Plaza
Across the tracks of the promenade, a revitalized plaza adds to the new and inviting atmosphere of this new city improvement. A hardscaped new plaza features extensive hardscaping, including another water feature that doubles as a kidney bean-shaped stage. The shape of the stage required forming and finishing three different radius points and a high-end finish, and the design called for the water to spill out from the steps and splash into the plaza. At the bottom of the steps, a stainless steel drain curved along the same radii line of the steps.

To complete the water feature, CHI formed radial weir boxes as a part of the steps. These were built under the steps into a water trough system, with all the plumbing and drain lines built to precise elevations and locations. To allow water to flow consistently through the openings, CHI created wedges to keep the boxes open during the placement of the concrete.

CHI worked with Wadman to coordinate schedules and manpower to complete the project ahead of schedule, despite potential winter weather delays. CHI's working relationship with the site plumber was also crucial. They worked together to ensure the fill and drain lines were at proper locations and elevations for the streambed and the stage. Concrete trucks on site during construction washed into eco-pans to minimize their impact on the environment. On-site coordination with the designers to review joint layout, water drainage and the placement of blue glass Lithocrete ensured the success of the project.

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