Stratavault brings trees to life in new Centennial Park, Texas

Located in western Texas and nicknamed “The Tall City”, Midland has long been known for its downtown skyline. Most of its major office buildings were built during a time of major Permian Basin oil and gas discoveries.
In the heart of downtown Midland, in a space previously occupied by Centennial Plaza and the Midland County Courthouse, construction is currently all systems go on the new Centennial Park. This project will transform two central blocks in downtown Midland into a natural and cultural oasis. The four-acre park will be centred around a great lawn and performance pavilion, with tree-lined promenades running along its perimeter. An interactive water feature will function as a splash pad by day and a fountain by night. Additional features include a dog park, concessions kiosk, grove seating and a nature-style playground.

Of course, the first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think of a park are trees. But in an urban area, it’s not so easy. Anthony Kendrick from EcoServices said, “Central to Centennial Park will be large trees spread through the great lawn. They will help create shade during the summer, reduce ambient temperatures and provide a better experience for the public. Landscape Architects know they can’t rely on the urban environment to provide the necessary soil conditions to sustain a full-grown tree. Downtown areas can be inhospitable for trees and their root systems, especially when the ground is covered by an impermeable surface. The urban landscape has some of the worst soil conditions you could think of; compacted, devoid of nutrients and cut off from most or all the rainfall that lands on it.

“The design team at Ten Eyck wanted a solution to provide enough soil volume so that each tree could reach its full maturity and life expectancy. Citygreen’s Stratavault system was chosen to provide 50,000 CF of soil for all the trees in the park. Stratavault is a modular design that provides structural support for pavement surfaces and creates a soil matrix of healthy, uncompacted soil.

“Ten Eyck designed a series of linear tree pits that will allow the root systems from multiple trees to share the same soil matrix. When these tree pits are connected, it helps reduce the overall soil volume required for each tree. Another cost saving method is to take the soils excavated for the tree pits and re-use it to fill the soil cells. This can be done by amending them with organics and nutrients before placing them back in the ground. This provides a huge saving since it prevents having to use multiple truckloads of blended soil from an off-site source.

“Even though the trees are tolerant of the arid conditions of West Texas, irrigation lines have been placed above the soil cell matrix. Water reclaimed from the underground R-Tank cistern will be used to help meet the water demand of the trees. Currently under construction, the project should be complete by Summer of 2020. We look forward to seeing the trees and the park thrive for the enjoyment of all.”