Etna Riverfront Trail and Park

Services

Purpose

Client

Subconsultants

Nestled between the Etna Industrial Park and Allegheny River, the design and development of the 1-acre Etna Riverfront Trail and Park has the opportunity to provide the community with public access to its riverfront. This is something the community has not had for more than 100 years and will accommodate in this future trail connection/development. Additionally, Etna Riverfront Trail and Park will also serve as an important link in the proposed Erie-to-Pittsburgh Trail.

The design program for this 470-foot-long linear park includes a lawn, a stage, a river overlook, rain gardens that incorporate bird habitat, and a trail rest area with a shade structure and other amenities. These elements and amenities are integrated into a cohesive experience of space, to accommodate the existing municipality and railroad utilities. A triangulated design pattern has been employed to create efficiency within the irregular shaped parcels and to accommodate the “fixed” site structures which cannot be moved or eliminated, such as the railroad switch controls and a wellhead building. The design palette gives the park a contemporary appearance lending itself to the use of more industrial feel materials, such as galvanized steel, weathered steel and wood timbers. The local stories on urbanization and natural systems are incorporated into the retaining wall façade and barrier panels.