Pare, in collaboration with Traverse Landscape Architects, was hired by the City of Pawtucket to lead the design of improvements to Max Read Field. The existing athletic track and field were below-average condition and of limited use, as well as being a safety concern. The bleachers lacked proper accessibility and compliance with current code.
During the preliminary design phase, it was discovered that soil beneath the existing field had been impacted by the historic manufactured gas plant site adjacent to the property. To address the contamination, Pare worked with the City to perform a comprehensive site investigation of the gas plant impacts across the site. Pare worked with the City and the RI Department of Environmental Management to develop a Remedial Action Work Plan that was protective of the future users of the site (children) while also creating a state-of-the-art recreational facility. Pare incorporated certain elements of the track and field system into a multi-layered capping system for the site. In addition, Pare assisted the City in negotiations with National Grid (the owner of the gas plant site) to accept excess soil from the field project and use it beneath their future soil cap, which ultimately saved the City hundreds of thousands of dollars in disposal costs.
The project is located in one of the state’s designated Environmental Justice areas. Pare worked with the City on the necessary community engagement, which included the preparation of bilingual mailings, public meeting, and notification to abutters.
