We are students from Trinity College and Capital Community College who have come together at the Liberal Arts Action Lab. Over the course of the semester, we have been working closely with our community partner, Riverfront Recapture. We have been surveying the local community to answer the following research question:
What do residents of the Northend of Hartford and Wilson section of Windsor want to see in a new park along the Connecticut River?
Who is the Riverfront Recapture?
Riverfront Recapture is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving quality of life and urban vitality by offering a health-promoting recreational spaces and various cultural events. The organization manages four parks in the Greater Hartford region that is accessible via the Connecticut Riverfront. They are partners with The City of Hartford and East Hartford, as well as the MDC, who ensure water quality.
They are currently in the process of acquiring a parcel of land along the Connecticut River on Meadow Road, which they plan to develop into a new park. Additionally, they plan to extend the Riverfront trail into Windsor up to the Bissell Bridge, to make a seamless bike trail connecting the South Windsor and East Hartford neighborhoods.
What has Riverfront Recapture asked us to do?
Riverfront Recapture asked us to conduct research to help them better understand what local residents in the north end of Hartford, and the Wilson section of Windsor, want to see in the new park located on Meadow Road, off Windsor Avenue.
In doing our research, it was important for us to focus on residents who live in close vicinity to the park, because we believe that they have a vested interest in their local community and would most likely be frequent users. We are cognizant of the fact that families who visit the park have a range of needs and interests from walking dogs, jogging, or simply enjoying the scenery. For this reason, it was important to get a cross-section of respondents from both towns.
