In 1998, a 225-acre property that featured an abandoned granite quarry was donated to the City of Winston-Salem, NC. Over the next 20 years, the property was used as an “organic landfill” and become a dumping ground for Christmas trees and other yard waste. After a referendum in 2016, the City allotted approximately $5 million to renovate the area into a public park.
The large scale of the park was a unique challenge for the City. With difficult terrain and remote spaces, the City wanted to use a product with zero maintenance and enough strength and durability for emergency vehicles to cross. They also wanted the park to have an industrial look that tied into the history of the area.
What was once considered a “hidden gem” for fishing and swimming in Winston-Salem, Quarry Park has been reinvented as a premier park in the area. As part of the transformation, Stimmel Associates specified a 40-foot PermaTrak pedestrian bridge that connects visitors to a nearby residential area, and across the park, a 50-foot bridge through an oak forest.
Installation for the maintenance-free pedestrian bridges took roughly one day each and went very smoothly. The concrete boardwalk system, coupled with a galvanized steel and cable railing, provides long-term strength and durability, while adding an industrial feel to the project.
The City of Winston-Salem was pleased with the PermaTrak structures as a long-term solution. In fact, the City liked it so much that they used PermaTrak on a different project that they were involved with.