“Make parking lots small, serving no more than five to seven cars, each lot surrounded by garden walls, hedges, fences, slopes, and trees, so that from outside the cars are almost invisible.  Space these small lots so that they are at least 100 feet apart.” p.506 A Pattern Language

We received a grant from The Elkhart River Alliance to make a pervious paver parking lot.  The grant was for $10,000 and our goal was to have the money cover all materials and that we (the collective we) would furnish all the labor.  We want to follow the recommendations in A Pattern Language for small lots with spaces for no more than 5 -7 cars,  then surround the lots with plants, bushes and hedges.  We will create a small area on the east side and another area on the west side around the loading dock. Our intention is to have the lots completed by the end of August and then in September begin landscaping one of the areas.  That is still the plan.  We had a lot of site work to do in preparation for the pavers.  We also received a grant to build a rainwater collection system. I will give an update on that later.

Matt & Randy Laying Out the Parking Area

It was early May and it was freezing and raining.

Semi Arrives with Half the Pavers

We Had 17 Cubes of Pavers for the Westside

Old Concrete and 13 Cubes

In the background are the pavers for the eastside.  We have to find a place to get rid of all that concrete rubble. Hmm….

Matt, Thor, Randy and the Dingo

Rubble, Pavers and a Huge Pile of the Wrong Gravel

Much to our horror we discovered that the aggregate company had delivered the wrong kind of gravel.  We got 22 tons of gravel that almost immediately turned to concrete when wet.  Not what a person wants for a pervious paver lot.  Finally, after several “conversations” the wrong gravel was removed and the right stuff delivered.

Thor Doing Prep Work

Pouring Curbs on the Eastside

Westside Parking Lot Configuration

At The End Of A Very Long Day Randy and Matt Finish Up At The Stop Sign and It Was Truly Time to Stop!

As of today we have all 22 tons of the gravel distributed but we still need some more.  Our plan is finish it this week and then tamp the gravel, then have a few days of fun in Chicago–we are going to see Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal and the new Modern Wing at the Chicago Art Institute.  Wow, we need a break!  When we get back we will tackle those huge stacks of pavers.

Yesterday it rained 6 inches and our lots are draining.  The standing water visible in the picture of the west lot is no longer a problem.