Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have a Plan!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friends of Quarry Park
Fall 2006 – Spring 2007 Master Plan

Work Days 2006 (all work days are 9am - noon)
October 7-We made tremendous progress on the western trail.
November 4-We planted wildflower seeds and hauled brush out of the park.
December 2-We built a stone bridge, spread lots of mulch and extended the western trail.
Work Days 2007 (all work days are 9am - noon)
January 13-Our work day was canceled due to ice; check out the blog for great pictures of the park as a winter wonderland!
February 10-We cleared at ton of fallen limbs from the ice storm, spread mulch and extended the southern and western trails.
March 10-We worked on trails and cleared brush.
April 14 (It’s My Park Day)-9:00am - 1:00pm
Park Dedication-April 21, 2007

Phase I
Brush Removal
Tools Needed
· Gloves, wheelbarrows

Personnel
· Volunteers

Process
1. Place limbs, branches, brush, stumps and logs near the road, east of the entrance, just above the cedar mulch piles. Parks and Recreation Department will mulch or remove this for us.

Entrance Enhancement
Tools Needed
· Pickaxe, hoes, gloves, weed eater, wheelbarrow, shovel, rake

Personnel
· Volunteers, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts

Process
1. Pull rocks out of the entrance area trail bed, and all along the curb to make mowing easier. These rocks can be placed in one pile inside the park entrance, or used in trail building.
2. Pull, weed eat or hoe weeds growing at edge of park, where mowing isn’t possible.
3. Pick up litter and small rocks all along the front of the park, to make mowing easier and safer. Smooth rough areas, or even out the soil with a rake or shovel.
4. Pile rocks in front of natural wall that runs parallel to Convict Hill Road.
5. Spread mulch on a make shift sidewalk, to make walking easier, and to lead people to the park when walking by to the entrance.

Trail Maintenance
Tools Needed
· Gloves, wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes, tree trimmers, hoes, weed eater

Personnel
· Volunteers, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts

Process
1. Hoe or weed eat weeds that have grown inside the trail bed.
2. Add mulch to thin areas, or where mulch has washed away.
3. Replace rocks in trail edge where missing, or where needed.
4. Trim tree branches that have grown into the walk area.

Stacked Rock Walls below Entrance
Tools Needed
· Gloves, shovels, pickaxe, rock hammer

Personnel
· Volunteers, Trail Tamers

Process
1. Gather limestone found throughout the park, and dug from the general area where wall is to be built.
2. Stones are to be set in horizontal lines, with the lowest course utilizing the largest stones, and the highest stones using the smaller flat stones.
3. Use interesting stones, especially those that show drilling from original Quarry.
4. Slant each course to the rear of the wall to keep the wall from falling.
5. Fill back side of each course with gravel, smaller rocks and soil.

Western Trail
Tools Needed
· Gloves, Wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels, hoes, tree branch trimmers, possibly saw or chainsaw

Personnel
· Volunteers, especially Bill Scheick

Process
1. Mark trees or limbs to be removed.
2. Trim branches and small trees from the trail bed and walk area.
3. Use limestone found throughout the park for the edging of the trails. The edging should be 6-8 inches high and 6-8 inches wide. The trail itself should be 3-4 feet wide. Trails have been marked with small orange flags. Trails on solid rock or in heavily wooded areas do not need the rock edging.
4. Use pointed and larger rocks to build the edging, rather than flat stones. It is better to use the limestone spread out on the ground, rather than stones from the quarry piles.
5. Dig up rocks within the trail boundaries, to make a level trail and prevent tripping.
6. Remove stumps from the trail bed.
7. Smooth the bed of the trail with a rake or a hoe.
8. Spread cedar mulch onto the trail, about 1-2 inches thick.
9. Keep trails at least 50 feet from the nearest park boundary, except below the water retention areas.

Southwestern Trail
Tools Needed
· Gloves, Wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels, hoes, tree branch trimmers, possibly saw or chainsaw

Personnel
· Volunteers, especially Bill Scheick

Process
1. Use limestone found throughout the park for the edging of the trails. The edging should be 6-8 inches high and 6-8 inches wide. The trail itself should be 3-4 feet wide. Trails have been marked with small orange flags. Trails on solid rock or in heavily wooded areas do not need the rock edging.
2. Use pointed and larger rocks to build the edging, rather than flat stones. It is better to use the limestone spread out on the ground, rather than stones from the quarry piles.
3. Dig up rocks within the trail boundaries, to make a level trail and prevent tripping.
4. Remove stumps, if possible from the trail bed.
5. Smooth the bed of the trail with a rake or a hoe.
6. Spread cedar mulch onto the trail, about 1-2 inches thick.
7. Trim branches from around and immediately over the trails.
8. Keep trails at least 50 feet from the nearest neighbor's fence.

Phase II
Sidewalk
Tools Needed
· None

Personnel
· Heidi, Gary, Jim

Process
1. Continue communication with the city to ascertain when sidewalk will be built, trying to have sidewalk built before Park Dedication.
2. Suggest to city planner and the construction crew to build sidewalk right along the curb.
3. We will plant wildflowers between sidewalk and the park to minimize mowing once sidewalk has been completed.

Wildflower Seed Dispersal
Tools Needed
· Gloves, broadcast spreader

Personnel
· Volunteers

Process
1. Broadcast flower seed along front of park, and in open places within the park.

Stone Benches
Tools Needed
· None

Personnel
· E-Corps

Process
1. Determine locations for the benches.
2. Communicate with Parc to determine when benches can be built.

Stone Steps onto Ridge
Tools Needed
· Rock hammer, cement, mortar, level

Personnel
· E-Corps or Volunteers

Process
1. Determine locations for the step onto the ridge.
2. Communicate with Parc to determine when step can be built, hopefully along with benches.

Tree and Stump Removal
Tools Needed
· Saws, shovels, stump puller, chainsaw

Personnel
· PARD Personnel, Volunteers

Process
1. Mark trees or large limbs to be removed, especially dead cedar trees.
2. Obtain approval from PARD.
3. Remove trees or limbs to curbside for mulching or removal.

Phase III
Fence Building
Tools Needed
· Post hole digger (manual or motorized), saw or chainsaw, drill, level, ratchet socket set, bolts, cement, mastic, truck and trailer (to pick up the posts)

Personnel
· Volunteers, PARD

Process
1. Transport posts from dog behavioral property.
2. Cut posts into 6 foot lengths, using thicker posts.
3. Cut rails into 6 foot lengths, using thinner posts.
4. Mark where fence and posts will be located, starting at entrance and working along front of the park, parallel to Convict Hill Road.
5. Dig post holes 2 feet deep, and 6 feet apart.
6. Apply mastic to bottom of posts.
7. Insert posts into post holes, leveling posts.
8. Pack posts with cement or gravel.
9. Drill holes for bolts into posts and end of each rail.
10. Attach rails to posts with bolts, making two courses of rails at top, and 2 feet from the top of the posts.

Phase IV
Historical Markers and Signage
Tools Needed
· Funding

Personnel
· Heidi, Jim, Gary

Process
1. Write history and fill out the application.
2. Submit application and documentation to county historical commission (CHC) for review and approval.
3. CHC forwards signed and approved application to Texas Historical Commission (THC).
4. THC reviews application; additional information and/or clarification may be requested.
5. Once the THC approves application, request will be made for payment of foundry costs.
6. Choose marker type.
7. Forward payment to THC.
8. THC prepares draft inscription and submits it to applicant and CHC for review.
9. THC sends final approved inscription to foundry for casting.
10. Foundry ships completed marker.
11. Applicant and CHC plan marker dedication ceremony.
12. THC staff enters marker into the Texas Historic Sites Atlas, an online inventory of marker information and inscriptions.