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MARION COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS SITE ASSESSMENT. SITE ASSESSMENT AREAS. MAIN ENTRANCE I-74 BURM COMPOST RAIN BARREL POSITIONS. Main entrance. POSITIVES. The sign is fantastic. U.S. NATIONAL PARK SIGNS. NEGATIVES.
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SITE ASSESSMENT AREAS • MAIN ENTRANCE • I-74 BURM • COMPOST • RAIN BARREL POSITIONS
POSITIVES • The sign is fantastic
NEGATIVES • Garden bed underneath the sign takes away from the sign. The sign would look better on grass. • It is not obvious that this is the main entrance. When I first arrived, I almost drove past this entrance, thinking it was a side entrance. Note: Only the drive navigating up the west side of the property was open at the time and that makes it less obvious. • The fence is highly visible and not inviting. Especially with the barbwire top. • The entrance does not provide a sense of place (i.e. It does not brand the fairgrounds).
IDEAS • Extend mulch bed to SE corner where the fence and TroyAve meet. • Install 2 layers of plants/shrubs that are complimentary size to the sign and block the fence from view. • Do not plant in straight lines, use natural arrangements. • Smaller, front layer of plants and a back layer of larger shrubs. • Use smaller plants that re-enforce the red and blue colors visible on the sign and add color interest in the process. • Use plants that display visual interest for fairgrounds main use seasons. • Install a few trees whose dark brown trunks will visually compliment the signs vertical brown elements.
IDEAS • Frame the entrance with a plant and tree arrangement on the left side of the entrance.
Need professional landscape architect to assist on design details. • Funding Options? • Design Labor- Trade design work with a local landscape architects for fair sponsorship or recognition. • Installation labor (est. 20 people, 2-3 hours) – Volunteers; KIB, Master Gardener, Raytheon. • Maintenance labor – Grounds keeper
Guest/Public Outreach • Additional small prairie patch near rain garden with informational sign displaying I-74 burm planting, habitat benefits of prairie restoration and how people can do it themselves at home.
Year 1 • IOWA .pdf on incorporating prairies into multifunctional properties has good information on yearly tasks for establishing a prairie.
Questions • How do you keep prairie from expanding from initial boundary? • Controlled burns every 3-5 yearsor will mowing + manual weed pulling suffice? • Does MC FG have equipment to cut burm prairie? • Need pictures from Matt of MC FG Sign
Ideas • Move Marion County Fairgrounds sign from back of white barn to the burm. • Cover entire burm, front and back, with native prairie land.