Public Spaces and Amenities – Page 3 – Ralston, Vermont's "Green Island" City

Second Bridge to Ralston

I believe that the inclusion of a second bridge- one that connects Ralston to the other side of Lake Champlain, would be greatly beneficial to the community as a whole. I personally believe that in order for Ralston to become a successful community in the future, they need to reach a wider range of people and allow for more to leave and/or join the community in a variety of activities the city can open to all of Vermont. One of the main issues I saw when planning to address this problem was the fact that only being able to leave and enter the island through one bridge severely limits interaction with the community and the outside world. This is why a proposal for a new bridge would greatly benefit the town off Ralston.

In addition, Ralston’s second bridge connecting to another side of the land surrounding Lake Champlain will allow for ease of access to Ralston for different communities. The original bridge’s location, while giving entrance to one side of Champlain, completely limits access to the opposite side of the lake. And while a Lake’s island normally has ports to be able to access, not all people have the ability to access islands via boats, in addition to being a rather large island with a rather large community as well. If cars are the main means of transportation on the island, then it only makes sense for a way for cars to get on and off of the island. Overall, a second bridge would be a welcome addition to Ralston, and will be greatly beneficial for the development of the community for years to come.

Ralston Courthouse

On the corner of South Shore Rd and McGarrigle Rd, will be the Ralston courthouse. It will be the hub of civil and criminal affairs for the entire city. It will be this adequately sized brick building, with large white pillars in front. Inside will be two courtrooms, one for civil trial and another for criminal. The Town will host two judges, which are to be elected every five years. One for the civil division, and another for the criminal division. With the rate of crime high in Ralston, this project will allow the city to handle its own affairs, and to begin cracking down on crime in Ralston. In the long run, the quality of life and Ralston’s appearance to people outside the city will improve. The project will also be near City Hall, and shall create a new government center, where all of Ralston’s affairs can be handled. By keeping them in proximity, it allows people to know that their is an essential heart, to the governing of the city. This could realistically create a new contact zone right in the heart of Ralston, and allow for everyone in Ralston to interact with each other in a part of town focused on the way Ralston is governed.

Police office of ward 2

I propose a police station for ward 2. As the hub of the city, ward 2 is where majority of the engagement happens and with that that also means an increased likelihood of crime or other altercation between two citizens of Ralston. The ward 2 police station is in place to help locals secure lost or stolen goods and to keep the kind citizens of Ralston safe and happy. The ward 2 police would be all local citizens and only come from the community of Ralston. The unofficial motto of the ward 2 police would be Libertas per praecepta which translates to “Freedom through rules”. The police force in ward 2 would be there to keep the peace in this wonderful community of ours with a diverse group of officers from multiple backgrounds of our community. The proposed police station in ward 2 would properly hold the people of this fine community to the rules and the formal mechanisms of law made by the government of Ralston. Keeping the peace and protecting the citizens of ward 2 would be the top priority of the ward 2 police. The police of ward 2 would stand as a shield against thoughts who wish to harm or destroy the community of Ralston and its people.

History of the police station ward 2:

The ward 2 police station would be the oldest official police station in Ralston with it originally being the location of the first sheriff’s office. The police office would have been set up this way since the early 1900s after the sheriff’s office had been found to not be enough for the larger community that was being built up.

Ward 1 Public Space

Ward 1 currently suffers from a general lack of neighborliness, possibly due in part to the economic diversity between what are essentially the two halves of the ward. The inclusion of a public space of some kind would benefit the ward greatly in bringing the residents together in a meeting space for everyone living there. The challenge in the ward comes in space, as it is relatively tightly packed surrounding the golf course. Therefore, the best solution would be to secure as much land as possible in order to construct a public community center that includes some kind of outdoor space. The most probable location for this community center would be near the country club. This would also serve as an excellent “Welcome to Ralston” look, as the first thing you see as you cross the bridge would be a brand new community center building.

PHOTO SOURCE: https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5006/e8ba/28ba/0d41/4800/03bd/large_jpg/stringio.jpg?
1414055934

This building would serve greatly in constructing a powerful contact zone in a ward that does not have a great one: a space for people to gather for whatever purpose that they see fit, building a better sense of community and neighborliness. The space outside could also serve as a place for events and gatherings for the ward. It is due to the benefits that a Ward 1 community center and outdoor space would bring that it is worth the intrusion on the seemingly tight usage of land.

There was a previous proposal to create a community center in Ward 1 of Ralston, so if that proposal is completed then it would be highly beneficial to secure extra land outside of the building in order to include an outdoor space surrounding the building. This would give the building a better feeling of home and fitting in next to the golf course rather than just being a building with a parking lot.

Nature Center and Hiking Trails Expansion

To contribute to the community of Ralston, I would propose expanding upon the Nature Center and Hiking trails to include more appeal and activities. This would come in the form of combining multiple other proposals all into one. There were proposals for community gardens, which should be implemented in multiple sections of town, but would be an easy addition to the nature center. The Nature Center can serve as the office space and information center for the nature preserve, with additional services being run around the park. Including areas in the park that could be used for a summer day-camp would create a new contact zone for children, and combine the built environment with the natural environment. This contact zone can assist with childhood development as it encourages children to play and emphasize with one another (Pratt 2005). This could be as simple as building some pavilions near a mowed field with public bathrooms within walking distance. The camp could utilize the hiking trails and work to teach children about local ecosystems and how to help maintain the natural biodiversity. The mowed field would give children a space to run and play active games, whereas the pavilions could be used for meals, free time, and guided activities (crafts, journaling, short lessons, etc.).

An educational building could also be vital for rainy days, younger ages, or days where the heat is too much for children. The building could contain a small kitchen, bathrooms with showers, and an open space that can be utilized for a plethora of activities. It can also serve as storage and contain more natural artifacts like animal skeletons, preserved plants, and educational information that may not be available in the nature center due to supervision issues. It would also be vital with preschool age kids to serve as the daycare when outdoor time is not possible. You could even include public art exhibits within a section of trails to encourage community visitation as well as support local artists and the arts.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure

I propose that Ralston invest more heavily into bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, or at the very least, prioritize non-car infrastructure. This will be very beneficial for both the residents of the island, and in drawing tourists as an attraction.

Mackinac Island is a very good example of the potential success of prioritizing bicycle infrastructure on an island. Despite the town only having around 500 residents, the island can get as many as 15,000 visitors a day, which is a lot of potential money. The infrastructure also has evidently allowed much of the natural landscape of the island to be preserved, as it prevents sprawl.

Though I do not think banning cars is necessary like it was done in Mackinac Island, Ralston can still benefit greatly in implementing in a similar fashion what Mackinac Island has done. The residents of the Ralston will benefit greatly from bicycle infrastructure due to the size of the island, it being small enough where not a lot of roads are needed, yet large enough where it may take some effort to get from one end to the other. This will make commuting in town significantly easier, and lower car congestion from all the unnecessary cars it takes off the road. The tourist industry of the town will also benefit from such infrastructure. It makes the town look smaller, quaint, and therefore more livable and attractive. The infrastructure will also differentiate the town from other parts of the country, making it more attractive to visit. Finally, it will make the transportation of tourists throughout the town more manageable, as giving visitors the option to use bicycles over a car will ease traffic congestion within the town.

Ralston Family Skating Rink

I would like to add a family outdoor skating rink to the town of Ralston. Its location would be in the Old Meadow Park in Ward 3. People would be able to gather and experience outdoor ice skating right in their own backyard. In the spring, summer, and fall, people could roller skate, take lessons, and boogie down during open skate. This beautiful facility could offer the town and residents a lot of exercise and entertainment year round including open skating, rink rentals, and skating lessons. I see the skating rink as a great contact zone for the residents of Ralston. The family skating rink would encourage another way for residents to build relationships and friendships within the community in a safe, healthy environment. It would also help generate revenue as well. Weekend evening s’more bonfires would be a fun social element to add to the rinks’ offerings. Ideally, there would also be a restaurant/snack bar area on site for people to enjoy hot chocolate, light fare, snacks, and sweets.

Fishing Pier

One of the heart and soul attributes of Ralston is that it’s on an island, giving it its own unique landscape and geographical character. For my community contribution, I plan to utilize this aspect of Ralston to the fullest by installing a fishing pier. I plan for this pier to be installed right outside the canal gardens in Ward 1. This location will make it easy for both residents and tourists to see when crossing over the bridge to Ralston, so it should be easy for it to catch people’s interest. At the foot of the pier, there will be a stand where people who don’t have their own fishing rod can rent or buy one, giving the opportunity for everyone to participate. There will be a list at the end of the pier giving patrons the types of fish that can be found in the lake, as well as basic details such as size and rarity. A few times a year, there will be contests on who can catch the most fish or biggest fish. Hopefully this project will help bring residents and tourists together, as well as bring some much-needed attention to ward 1.

Ward 2 Community Garden Proposal

The Ralston Sustainability Project is proposing a public community garden for citizen use in Ralston. We believe that a community garden would provide multiple benefits to the community of Ralston, which we’ve outlined below:

● Healthier source of food: There is no way to obtain healthier food than growing it yourself. A community garden would provide Ralston citizens an opportunity to grow their own food. The garden would not be designed for families and individuals to rely completely on it; however, the community would be able to use the garden as an additional source of food.

● Providing for those in need: There are members of our community who, for various reasons, do not receive enough food, or do not receive enough healthy food. This garden would allow these community members to have access to healthy food.

● A greener option: Growing our own food and plants will help reduce our carbon footprint. Not only will the plants help lower carbon dioxide emissions, but the garden as a food source will limit how much is spent on gas to drive to the grocery store, and emissions created to prepare the products sold in the grocery store. The garden’s location in Ward 2 will make it within walking distance for a large portion of Ralston residents.

● Learning opportunity: The garden could serve as an educational ground for students to learn about plant growth and sustainability. We can raise the children in Ralston to understand the importance and benefits of sustainability.

● A bright spot: The colorful garden can become a symbol of hope and joy for our community. Simply being in the presence of nature can increase one’s serotonin.

Funds: We plan to request funds for this project from the Ralston City Council. Should they see this project as a suitable use for city funds, they will provide the costs for construction of the garden. The estimated startup cost is currently $4,200. Upkeep will cost about $1,200 a month. Should the City Council propose to include these costs in residential taxes, the tax would be proposed as a vote to the community before anything was decided.

About the Ralston Sustainability Project: The Ralston Sustainability Project is a non-profit organization whose main goal is to make Ralston a cleaner and healthier community through means of sustainability. This includes methods such as research, studies, community projects, and community structures that encourage a litter free, green energy community. The Project was founded by horticulturist Rosalin Page.

Ward 3 Public Parks

I would like to add some public parks to Ward 3. I would like to do this because of the industrial activity in that ward. I believe that adding public parks will create a space where people can interact and get exercise. Additionally, having public parks would offset the lack of green space that comes with industrial activity. I think that having a balance in each ward is important. I also see the public park as a contact zone, which might be helpful for sharing views because I see that ward 3 is politically lopsided.