The new bridge over the canal offers residents more variety when enjoying the walking trails.
The landscape at Morgan Orchards is ever-evolving. And in mid-June, work began on our newest project, one that has been at the top of our residents’ wish list for some time–a walking bridge over what we affectionately call the canal.
Part of our walking trail system hops over a small berm that leads to a pond, both of which were built during construction. For residents, creating an easy and safe way to cross this gully provides improved access to the trails.
When asked about the importance of the bridge, resident Betty Edson remarks: “Many residents really enjoy walking to the pond, and many of those same residents have some difficulty walking. The bridge will be a big advantage to be able to make a somewhat shorter walk if one tires or it starts to rain.”
And neighbor Forrest Randall agrees.
“One of the needs of residents at Morgan Orchards is getting exercise,” shares Randall. “Walking past the garden, through the apple orchard, into the fields, by the flagpole, flowers, and pond is good exercise. Observing and appreciating nature is good for the mind as well as the muscles. The bridge can be a “shortcut” used to make a walk somewhat shorter or it can be a “longcut” to extend walks in a figure-eight pattern if a little more exercise is desired. There is little chance of a walk being boring. The bridge will add to the beauty of the landscape.”
A Resident-Driven Project From Start to Finish
As early buyers into Morgan Orchards, Al Wilker and his partner Vance Smith are advocates of involving residents in designing their community.
“We think there’s an opportunity here to share ideas, to shape the environment, as residents,” shares Wilker, a former engineer who’s been involved with many of the landscaping projects around the grounds. “I think its really cool that the residents can participate in molding their new home to what they want, which I think sets Morgan Orchards apart from other communities.”
And as the couple hoped, the landscaping improvements that the campus has seen over the last three years have indeed come at the suggestion of our residents. Many of which have been encouraged by Wilker and Smith who often lead the community’s landscaping committee meetings–Wilker lending his engineering mind to project ideas and Smith using her architecture skills to translate the group’s wishes into drawings that help residents visualize what their backyard will look like.
From left to right: Frank Forcier, Forrest Randall, Al Wilker, and Vance Smith review the bridge construction plans.
The bridge was just one of the projects they worked on with residents, with the couple designing the plans for the bridge and presenting it to group for feedback. But the build didn’t kick off until late this spring when Wilker and Smith generously donated funds to purchase the necessary building materials.
In addition to their monetary donation, the couple also gave their time by volunteering to do the construction themselves.
Work began on June 18, with Wilker digging post holes and mixing concrete by hand. But in true Vermont spirit, he wasn’t working alone for long.
Another resident, Frank Forcier, saw Wilker at work in the field and wanting to be outside helping, asked if he could lend a hand. And his first offer was to look at the bridge plans as Forcier, a retired structural engineer, worked for firms in Cambridge, Ma. and Springfield, Vt. that designed a variety of structures that conveniently included bridges.
“I thought to myself, ‘whoa, this is the guy I need!” says Wilker of the encounter. “Frank felt we were overbuilding a little bit. So he took the plans back to his apartment and ran some numbers. He came back the next day and suggested some changes so we’d use a little less material while maintaining structural safety and improving the overall design.”
With new plans in hand, the pair continued laying the foundation for the structure. But soon they were joined by Randall, who describes his role as the ‘hold’em/hand’em specialist.”
From left to right: Frank Forcier, Forrest Randall, and Al Wilker installing joists for the bridge.
“If a board needed to be held in place before fastening, I would hold it,” says Randall of his tasks. “If Frank needed another fastener to drive into the framework, I would hand it to him.”
For nearly three weeks the trio, along with assistance from Smith and Randall’s wife Bobbie, worked on the bridge.
“They were waiting for me every morning,” shares Wilker with a laugh. “We’d start in the morning and usually worked until noon. We worked each other hard, though we tried not to because of the heat. But we had a good time.”
The group completed the project on July 7th, just two and a half weeks after they dug the first post hole. Their work resulted in a bridge that spans 30 feet and by Forcier’s calculations, has the capacity to hold 3,600 pounds. And at six feet wide, it offers plenty of space for walkers to comfortably pass each other while crossing while ADA-compliant handrails on both sides provide safety and stability. To complete the area, large boulders are being placed at the end of the bridge to offer not only added landscaping interest but seating for those wanting to take a quick break to enjoy the scenery.
While it may have taken time to get the project off the ground, the end result was well worth the wait.
“The bridge was a common topic of conversation among residents ever since my wife and I moved here in April 2019. Cost and budget were always raised as obstacles as to why it wasn’t done. The generosity of Al and Vance along with their leadership made it happen this year,” Randall shared when asked about the evolution of the bridge project and why residents should be involved. “Working toward a common goal cooperatively gives residents living at Morgan Orchards a sense of purpose and is good for our psyche. A positive feeling of accomplishment is a good thing.”
From left to right: Forrest Randall, Frank Forcier, Bobbie Randall, and Vance Smith working on the bridge construction, with Al Wilker behind the camera.
And with the bridge now complete, residents like Edson are enjoying the new addition to the landscape.
“I think it is an attractive addition, as well as a practical one,” shares Edson. “The whole property, and especially the pond walks, are very inviting, and the more it is accessible, the better.”
From beginning to end, this has truly been a resident-driven project. And that level of involvement is exactly what we hope for, and encourage, here at Morgan Orchards. Their enthusiasm is helping to make Morgan Orchards more than a place to live. They’re making it a true home.
The residents will be celebrating their hard work and the landscape’s newest addition with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in August to officially open the bridge.
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This is the fifth article in our series on the development of the Morgan Orchards landscape.
Read the other articles in this series:
