Modular interlocking pavement (TERRECON's TERREWALKS???(R)???AE????, 100 percent recycled plastic) for the Brunswick, Maine youth facility was selected over concrete because, according to the manufacturer, it will not break in the freeze-thaw cycles of New England, is pervious and its light weight (25 pounds) makes installation easier.

 

Braddock Park in North Bergen, N.J., specified recycled plastic "pavers" to replace fading, cracked stamped concrete. The choice was made for look, durability, to meet storm water management objectives and the "ability to co-exist with tree roots."

With the decommissioning of the U.S. Navy Base in Brunswick, Maine, the old personnel building became the new home for Seeds of Independence (SOI), a 20-year-old nonprofit volunteer-based organization that mentors at-risk youth. The building accommodates some 300 at-risk youth from 8th to 12th grades, an alternative to incarcerating these first time offenders, giving them the opportunity to stay in school and turn their lives around.

While the building was functional, Tom Wright, executive director of SOI, knew it was necessary to replace the building's sidewalks. The budget was tight. Ideally the new sidewalks would be tough enough to hold up (not crack) under the brutal climate extremes of Maine, plus be permeable.

The solution he found was TERRECON's TERREWALKS???(R)???AE???? modular interlocking "pavement," made of 100 percent recycled plastic. Given its inherent qualities, the manufacturer is touting this material as an alternative to the concrete sidewalk. According to the manufacturer this product is permeable, unbreakable, has one-eight of the weight of concrete and the cost is comparable to concrete sidewalks.

Installing the sidewalks presented no challenges for Wright, a retired contractor. Tom did the job himself, following the installation manual and video. The sidewalk looks remarkably like concrete, but required no curing time to set. He also installed the material in the entrance way and patio of a second building being converted into a bakery and training center for program members, a joint effort between SOI and Wild Oaks Bakery in Brunswick.