Bring on the Fish

For weeks we’ve been watching our new fishway for signs of activity. Any day we’re expecting to see alewives swimming through its baffled tunnels and concrete pools, en route to their spawning grounds in the Mill Pond.

In the meantime, we designed, fabricated, and installed an interpretive sign to greet visitors and describe what they see before them. It recognizes the project team, notably The John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation, which provided the bulk of the construction funding, and The Nature Conservancy's Connecticut Chapter, which oversaw design and construction. It also diagrams the fishway’s components, whose design and execution fascinates us as much as the journey it enables.

The sign was, like all our projects, a collaborative effort. Wordsmithing by Chris Hill, Sally Harold, Steve Gephard, and Mark Simon. Historic images by Melissa Josefiak from the Essex Historical Society. Sign design, photography, and mockups by Derek Hayn. Frame color selection by Sue Wyeth and Mark. Fabrication and shop drawings by Pannier Graphics. Delivery by FedEx. And, this week, installation by Patrick McCauley and Ron Campbell.

Way to go, team! Now all we need are the fish.

The sign, as mocked-up during design (top), and after installation (bottom).

The sign, as mocked-up during design (top), and after installation (bottom).