In early 2013, MacKay Sposito was approached by TRIDEC and the Tri City Visitor and Convention Bureau to propose on a ‘Vision’ for recreation opportunities at the Hanford site. My first thought was, “Why would anyone want to recreate on a superfund site… wouldn’t that be dangerous?” What I didn’t know is that the Department of Energy and the community had been going through a planning process that would look at transitioning much of the area to open it for public use, meaning it was clean and safe.
Being familiar with this stretch of the Columbia River, I was always amazed at the natural beauty of it, surrounded by the Saddle and Rattle Snake mountains and a landscape that was shaped by the Ice Age Floods. However, like many, I didn’t really know much about the actual Hanford site and what it might offer to a recreation user. I had to know more: what is the importance of Hanford, how does this site relate to the Hanford Reach National Monument, how do I get on-site to see what it has to offer?
After some research, strategy sessions and a competitive proposal process, we were notified that MacKay Sposito was selected as the consultant to bring this vision to life. While excited that we were awarded the project, I didn’t realize how this visioning process was going to open my eyes and forever change my attitude towards the history and natural wonders that make Hanford so important. How did this occur? Well, it started with a site tour.
We left the City of Richland around mid-morning and entered the site from the south. I immediately noticed a change in the landscape as we went from the research district’s modern architecture with lush lawns and manicured landscapes to an arid industrial environment with the native steppe shrub community surrounding it. We traveled for several miles through the untouched landscape, stopping at several key historical areas such as the Hanford work camps, Hanford high school, the White Bluff community, cocooned reactors, Bruggeman Ranch and ended up at the B reactor. Currently a National Historic Landmark, this structure stands alone in my mind as one of the most impressive feats of engineering and science during its time. It reminded me of the importance the Hanford Project had at the time and impassioned my advocacy for the site. I could go on for hours about this but the best way to get this tour through history and see the visual wonder is to go to OPB:http://www.opb.org/television/programs/oregonexperience/segment/hanford/
This experience raised some questions: “What does public access and recreation look like as it stretches across most of the 586 square miles that makes up Hanford?” and “How does one provide these opportunities, and at the same time preserve the natural and cultural history of the site?” For me it came down to a few key guiding principles that would tie all recreation improvements together. We must establish a sense of ‘Place’ through education, preservation and conservation for one to truly respect and understand the importance of this landscape.
In doing so, the recreation user will fall in love with the site as I did, and will want to share their experiences with friends and family, which in turn will generate excitement and passion extending on into the next generations of users. These three guiding principles drove the design and planning of the Vision for recreation opportunities on the Hanford site. They were always top of mind when looking for the appropriate trail alignment along the shoreline, or the location of primitive campgrounds and river access. As part of this Vision every facet of recreation development must tell the story of the land and the people, with educational opportunities through multiple means of interpretation. Something as simple as a trail head must share multiple stories, whether it is how the landscape was formed, the native people who inhabited it, the cultural history of the pre-Hanford and post Hanford Project, and most importantly, the sensitive ecosystems that make this site one of a kind. With this in mind we developed six sites as examples of how recreation opportunities could be integrated into the site for public consumption. Our plan is just the start of what is to come, and the opportunities that will be made available to the public. I encourage everyone to learn more about the Hanford Project, take a tour of the B Reactor and learn more about its importance in ending World War II. Finally, support our Senators who are currently working on passing bills that will make this site into a National Park; a title Hanford deserves.
To read more about the project, head to here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/11/04/2657619/draft-plan-for-public-access-to.html
Bryan Cole is the VP of Design at MacKay Sposito. You can reach him at bcole@mackaysposito.com or through LinkedIN.