RiverPlace Park      

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Description:

This new public Riverfront park will be located in the Central Riverfront, on a
2.5-acre site just north of the Penn Street Bridge, in the current location of the “Orange Car.” It will serve multiple purposes, including but not limited to concerts, outdoor performances, lectures, public forums, as well as serving as another flat, scenic plane upon which people can lay out picnics or simply lounge about.

RiverPlace Park will reconnect the core of downtown Reading to the banks of the Schuylkill River, and is the first phase in a vision that unifies Reading's Schuylkill waterfront into continues public open space.  Located where Washington and Court Streets meet the River, the park is on axis with the City's historic Pagoda, linking the heritage and future of Greater Reading.

Visitors entering the park are greeted by a small pavilion which is both a park facilities building and a comfort station.  This structure provides common amenities for the park and the Riverfront trail including concessions, bathrooms, and rentals.  A path frames views from the pavilion and leads directly to the water's edge, terminating in a decked overlook that offers grand vistas up and down the River.

Adjacent to the main park entryway, an interactive children's fountain and shad-inspired labyrinth create a playful and engaging environment for families.  As children play in the animated fountain jets and run through the shad labyrinth, onlookers can rest on an elegant curving wall lined with blossoming cherry trees.  Inlaid with bright red benches, the wall punctuates and frames the park's eastern edge.  A sinuous walk of banded colors inspired by the movement of the River winds parallel to the seatwall.

Under the long-term vision, the sinuous walk unites the eastern bank of the Schuylkill.  Marking this long-term move, a mural along RACC's existing parking lot will supplement the sunuous banding of colors of the walk when viewed from the Penn Street Bridge above.  Phase I of the park also includes a sweeping performance space of stone steps and lawn that takes advantage of long views up the River.  A tensile structure over the decked stage frames River views; provides a protected stage for performances; and affords shaded, flexible outdoor gathering space.  An open lawn, bordered by an informal row of sycamore trees, offers additional seating and passive open space.

Located where the Schuylkill Riverfront and Penn Corridor meet, RiverPlace Park will be a key element of both initiatives, and a new community gathering place for Greater Reading.

Performance space seating will be arranged informally in a crescent-like formation surrounding the central stage with views of the river beyond. The seats will be arranged in step-terraces with spacious lawns vertically segmented by stone blocks.

Other exciting features being considered for the park include:

• A labyrinth mini-park
• Fully interactive, kid-friendly water attractions
• a flatbed of sprinklers
• “mist poles”
• Flowing water courses
• Concession and comfort stations
• Waterfront platforms for a scenic river overlook
• Spacious glades and pocket parks
• Pedestrian trails linked to the surrounding areas

Recently, Sasaki Associates, Inc., a renowned international, interdisciplinary planning and design firm, developed a preliminary conceptual design for the park and presented them to local businesses, organizations, governments as well as the general public.

Latest Design Concepts (click on image for full size)

River of Trees Materials

River of Trees Images

River of Trees Events

River of Trees

The pictures below are design concept images from Sasaki Associates Inc.

The following are blueprints of the Initial Design Phase, entitled "River of Trees"

(click on the images to expand)

General Layout

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