The Crossings of Colonie: Park of Dreams?EUR??,,????'??? Build It and They Will Come

An Interview with Kevin Morgan, park manager, by Leslie McGuire, managing editor

This park was the vision of Mary E. Brizzell, the Town Supervisor and is maintained by Kevin Morgan, park manager, with an on-site crew of five full time staffers.

Colonie, one of New York?EUR??,,????'???s fastest growing communities, dedicated 130 acres of former farmland and woodlands within the central portion of the town for use as a passive open space. Through an extensive committee and public participation process, a park theme was created: the park would be passive in character through the use of pastoral and picturesque design elements.

The pastoral style was defined as evoking a sense of the romantic landscape of the countryside with minimal evidence of human participation. The picturesque style was chosen to allow for striking and seemingly man-made scenery by relying on formalized plantings and more organized design features.

Designed by Clough, Harbour & Associates LLP, the park is divided into a series of ?EUR??,,????'??rooms?EUR??,,????'?? which vary in character depending on their content. The combination of the two styles within the context of the park ?EUR??,,????'??rooms?EUR??,,????'?? provides a variety of experiences to the park visitor that is tied together through the park?EUR??,,????'???s pedestrian pathway and bikeway system. The area surrounding the property has experienced a rapid increase in development over the last 20 years and the park property itself was the subject of numerous commercial and residential development proposals since the mid-1990s.

A thick bentonite clay liner keeps this man-made body of water from seeping into the ground since there is no inlet or outlet. The biggest problem has been geese loading up the pond with droppings and seeds. In order to prevent the growth of water milfoil, they have to dose the pond with Sonar, an aquatic herbicide, to keep it clear.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CLOUGH, HARBOR & ASSOCIATES INC.

The homestead setting of ?EUR??,,????'??Park Square?EUR??,,????'?? is reminiscent of an architectural style derived from the town?EUR??,,????'???s Shaker heritage. This style is carried throughout the remainder of the park?EUR??,,????'???s amenities, which include picnic pavilions, signage, scenic overlooks, walls, seating and lighting.

The centerpiece of the park is its three-acre pond. The pristine blue of the pond complements the park?EUR??,,????'???s pastoral look. Apart from the five fountain-like aerators, the clear waters and irregular shoreline make this pond seem a perfect work of nature. In truth, the ?EUR??,,????'??natural?EUR??,,????'?? look reflects a design effort to create a seamless interface between the built and natural environments.

Five aerators circulate the pond water and prevent algae growth. They serve a necessary function, but also work as elegant water fountains, carefully spaced to complement the layout of the pond. Overflow basins at the north end of the pond carry excess water during significant storms and allow water to seep back into the water table. These gentle indentations in the land (the overflow basins) do double duty by complementing the shape of the pond and contributing to the overall organic feel of the Crossings. The requisite water backflow preventer (drinking water for the park is drawn from a town water main) is located in a ?EUR??,,????'??hot box.?EUR??,,????'?? The box is placed to fit into the landscape and is concealed with vegetation to minimize its impact on the park?EUR??,,????'???s overall aesthetic value.

There are two buildings one of which is used solely for administrative and the other is a mix of public and utilitarian including a maintenance shop which houses the Jabobsen HR 511?EUR??,,????'???s and the Toro Groundsmaster along with assorted weed whackers and other equipment.

In addition to the general recreational activities, the town is now hosting festivals and special events for which they can collect user fees to offset the park?EUR??,,????'???s ongoing operational costs. ?EUR??,,????'??We could literally have something going on there (the Crossings) every day. You name it, I pretty much have it,?EUR??,,????'?? says the events coordinator for the town. ?EUR??,,????'??Weddings, anniversary parties, showers and corporate meetings are scheduled to be held at the Crossings, and weekend event bookings are scheduled out through September 2005.

There are activities all year round in the Orchard, the Meadows, the Great Lawn and the Pond. Says Kevin Morgan, the park superintendent, ?EUR??,,????'??There?EUR??,,????'???s ice skating when temperatures are cold enough. The public gathering room in barn building services the pond with lockers, a place to change skates and purchase hot chocolate as well as other snacks from vending machines. The building is also used for remote control boats events. Sept. 2003 was the first full year of operation, and Christopher Johnson of Clough, Harbour & Associates says, ?EUR??,,????'??Before the place even opened, they couldn?EUR??,,????'???t keep people out.?EUR??,,????'??

In the 1960s, the entire site was slated for homes and light business. Now, the small pond with cattails, turtles and redwing blackbirds can be enjoyed as well as the woodland areas whose only maintenance requirements are the culling of dead trees.

The most amazing part is that the Crossings co-exists with what is the busiest and most dynamic business area. There are eight pedestrian entrances from shopping, business and residential. There are 50 wooden picnic tables, 20-percent of which are ADA approved for the handicapped. There are three pavilions and each is equipped with a half dozen picnic tables with grills. The entire park was sculpted with 1100 plantings added that include shrubs, pine trees, white pine, spruce and crab apples.

The park has no sports fields since the town already has many of them located nearby, however there are still turf care issues in addition to maintenance of the plantings and flower beds. They have three mowers; two Jacobsen HR 511, 11 foot hydrostatic machines and one two-year-old Toro Groundsmaster. They?EUR??,,????'???re also used to clear leaves and debris off the paths and trails with the tractor mounted blower unit. Morgan has five full time employees who maintain the equipment on site. There are two buildings one of which is used solely for administrative and the other is a mix of public and utilitarian, including a maintenance shop that shares the space with the building used for public events.

Other types of equipment include ?EUR??,,????'???EUR??,,????'???a slew of weed whackers,?EUR??,,????'?? says Morgan. ?EUR??,,????'??We?EUR??,,????'???d like more, but like any new house, it takes a while to make a house a home.?EUR??,,????'?? They?EUR??,,????'???re looking forward to acquiring a backhoe, bucket loader and broom attachment for the tractor.

There are, of course, seasonal maintenance issues?EUR??,,????'??+one of which is snow removal. They have help from the township as well as the highway department. Fortunately they can come in with sidewalk machines equipped with particulated snow throwers. They don?EUR??,,????'???t open all the trails during snow, but they keep open about two-and-a-half miles for cross-country skiers. ?EUR??,,????'??Last year proved that people still want to access the park in winter because there?EUR??,,????'???s no through traffic and it is a safe walking area?EUR??,,????'?? says Morgan. ?EUR??,,????'??We have a regular plow on a pickup truck to keep roads and parking lots free. The parking areas hold about 250 cars total and there are four different parking areas that need to be kept clear.?EUR??,,????'??

The maintenance staff uses the Toro Groundsmaster mower to keep the turf 3 1/2 to 4 inches high, allowing nature to water and fertilize.

During seasons when there is no snow, Morgan and his crew typically inspect trails every day. They have two little Toro Workman motorized carts and drive the trails. ?EUR??,,????'??In winter we having cross-country skiing but not on the trails, just alongside the paved trails,?EUR??,,????'?? says Morgan.

?EUR??,,????'??That?EUR??,,????'???s so people won?EUR??,,????'???t damage the bottoms of their skis. The trails are definitely multi-use. We have joggers, walkers, roller blade-ers?EUR??,,????'??+you name it. Five-and-a-half miles of the trails are paved, and one mile of trails is stone dust. The park is adjacent to a middle school so their track team also uses the trails for training.?EUR??,,????'??

As with every park, there are of course animals?EUR??,,????'??+especially geese. Hundreds of them come every year, and each goose produces about one-and-a-quarter pounds of droppings. They love the lake, but they make messes on the grass, they walk the trails and they have to be cleaned up after. ?EUR??,,????'??You certainly can?EUR??,,????'???t have them anywhere near where children are playing. Ten geese is nice,?EUR??,,????'?? says Morgan, ?EUR??,,????'??Three hundred geese are not nice.?EUR??,,????'??

A local businessman, Tom Hoffman donated a Victorian Maze Garden. The maze garden is 100 feet square with flowers out front and 463 six-foot arbor vitae trees trimmed by Hoffman?EUR??,,????'???s own crews. The irrigation system, however, is cleared by Morgan?EUR??,,????'???s crew with compressed air each winter.

Morgan uses several different methods, but no one thing works completely. They?EUR??,,????'???ve tried roping off the pond using three ropes and stakes. They?EUR??,,????'???ve experimented with running a grid line 12 inches off the surface of the pond so the geese can?EUR??,,????'???t just fly in and land.

One of the more successful things they?EUR??,,????'???ve done is work with Eric Johnson of Wild Goose Chase who has two border collies, Will and Faith. At first the dogs come three times a week. They jump in the pond and swim out to herd the geese into shore where they bark at them until they fly away. ?EUR??,,????'??Once, the dogs couldn?EUR??,,????'???t get two of the geese to leave,?EUR??,,????'?? says Morgan. ?EUR??,,????'??Animal control was called and it turned out they couldn?EUR??,,????'???t fly. The geese were captured and brought to a local shelter.?EUR??,,????'??

After awhile, only one visit from Will and Faith per week is necessary. The birds eventually leave when the pond freezes, however, they come back every year, and so do Will and Faith. Morgan plans to continue with the dogs.

There are thousands of visitors during peak season. The Leukemia/Lymphoma Society, the Cancer Society and the Heart Walk Light the Night Walk, have all held events. During the Night Walk, a portion of the trails were illuminated. 2500 people came for Leukemia/Lymphoma event and Morgan?EUR??,,????'???s staff did the set up and clean up afterwards.

For events, Morgan?EUR??,,????'???s staff does set up and clean-up as well. Events such as holiday tree lighting and carols, once done at Town Hall, are now done at the Crossings. An Easter Egg Hunt and a Kids Festival, which is sponsored by the police department CYC youth center, are planned for May. The festival is for all ages and will include puppet shows, robotics demonstrations and rock climbing in the flats. There are thousands of visitors during peak season. They held a Leukemia/Lymphoma Society event, along with one for the Cancer Society plus a Heart Walk ?EUR??,,????'??Light the Night?EUR??,,????'?? event, during which, a portion of the trails were illuminated. The Light the Night event had an attendance of 300 to 400 people. Two thousand five hundred people attended the Leukemia/Lymphoma event. The Crossings Park is so pleasant, it contributes to the popularity of them all.

?EUR??,,????'??It was a major undertaking for the town to do something of this magnitude,?EUR??,,????'?? says Morgan. ?EUR??,,????'??There was even early criticism because they already have an existing park. But there have been so many positive comments. People have come from California. Out-of-towners come and they?EUR??,,????'???ve never seen any park like this one. I?EUR??,,????'???m very proud to be associated with this park and this municipality,?EUR??,,????'?? says Morgan. ?EUR??,,????'??It?EUR??,,????'???s like Field of Dreams?EUR??,,????'???if you build it they will come, The Maze Garden makes them smile?EUR??,,????'??+four-year-olds to 80-year-olds all have a great time. The town recognised the importance of how nature enriches people?EUR??,,????'???s lives. They walk in here and get immediate gratification. This town provides people with ability to enjoy their surroundings.?EUR??,,????'??

For more information go to www.colonie.org/parks

Crossings of Colonie at a Glance

A newly built park, coexisting with what is the busiest and most dynamic residential and business area, has eight pedestrian entrances and eight distinct ?EUR??,,????'??rooms?EUR??,,????'?? including an orchard, meadow, great lawn, three-acre pond, flats, woodland, ramble and park square.

Although geese can be aggressive with people, they have an innate fear of predators such as the arctic fox. Border collies, with similar silhouettes and behavior, seem to trigger that fear in the geese. Will and Faith (above) have been trained to chase geese without touching or harming them.

Fifty years ago the Canada goose was near extinction. Not anymore. They?EUR??,,????'???re beautiful, they?EUR??,,????'???re elegant, but they?EUR??,,????'???re also doing what geese have always done. That?EUR??,,????'???s the problem. The geese cause messy, unsanitary conditions and increase the costs for landscape superintendents, maintenance directors and operations officers. It?EUR??,,????'???s illegal to shoot them and trapping them can be inhumane as well as impractical, especially when there are high numbers of them?EUR??,,????'??? and that?EUR??,,????'???s when it?EUR??,,????'???s time to go to the dogs?EUR??,,????'??+Border collies, that is.

Each goose deposits a pound and a half of dropping every day. That?EUR??,,????'???s manageable if you have two or three geese. If you have three hundred, it?EUR??,,????'???s a terrible headache for maintenance and landscape superintendents. Their droppings carry bacteria. In addition geese are very territorial and get quite aggressive especially during nesting season and when the goslings first hatch. They?EUR??,,????'???ve been known to attack anyone they think is encroaching on their territory.

Border collies have been bred for centuries as quiet, safe herding animals and they work with sheep and other farm animals?EUR??,,????'??+even pigs. Golf course operators, schools and owners of properties with grass and water have found that border collies?EUR??,,????'??? instincts to ?EUR??,,????'??move?EUR??,,????'?? almost any type of livestock make them a safe, humane and effective solution to controlling the increasing problem of overpopulation of wild geese.

To find out more about Will and Faith and Eric Johnson?EUR??,,????'???s goose control services go to: www.webdelta.com/wildgoosechase