Design proposal..phase one!

Before our internship ended, we wanted to leave the public with a final design idea that could serve as a visual reminder of what the bridge could be. In order to break the project up into more realistic chunks that could be independently fundraised and built, we divided Span the Dan into four phases: renovation, addition, connection, and expansion. We decided to focus on the first two phases, as those are the ones we know currently know the most about.

Our idea for the first phase is to create a long, glass walkway that goes out into the middle of the Dan River. The walkway would be all glass, which allows visitors inside the bridge to see the river as well as providing visual access to others from the outside. The glass walls would be infilled with different colored panels that mimic the colors of the river below. Since this walkway would be hundreds of feet long, we wanted to make sure that it does not become too tunnel-like. To combat this, we suggest opening up the bridge to the outside every fifty feet or so, which keeps the user connected to the water below.

One of the most valuable assets of this project is the beautiful steel structure on the existing bridge that is currently covered by the roof, deck, and siding. We strongly recommend using the existing structure as the framework for the new design. By using a combination of existing structure with transparent materials, this proposed idea highlights Danville's past while looking toward the future.

Workshop = Success!

After a great workshop on Wednesday night, we are now in the process of analyzing the ideas given to us and determining how they can be best incorporated into our design schemes. To all who came, thank you for making the night a huge success! We hope that this gave you an opportunity to allow your voice to be heard.

As you can see, the sticky note activity was by far the most popular. Nearly every person who attended was not afraid to put some post-its on the wall and let us know what architectural features struck their fancy. Others jumped right into the drawing section and the Lego modeling activity. Regardless of their creative abilities, all attendees found some way to get their ideas on the table.

Community Design Workshop

Exactly one week from today, we will be hosting a community design workshop that will serve as an open house for the project. There will be free-flowing discussion where any and all ideas, comments, and suggestions are welcomed! All community members are invited, so please stop by, whether it's for fifteen minutes or the entire hour and a half!

Meet the Bridge Team

After reading our first post, you might be wondering who "we" are and who is behind this movement. The idea of rethinking the space between the White Mill and the new YMCA site has been up for discussion for quite some time. This summer, five interns from the Danville Regional Foundation formalized the idea into the Span the Dan Movement. We are excited to meet the rest of the community and look forward to working with you!

What is Span the Dan Movement?

Hello everyone!

I'm sure that at this point, you're wondering exactly what "Span the Dan" means and what we are up to. Span the Dan movement is a group of community members who are trying to create amazing public spaces right here in Danville. Right now, we are thinking about additional and alternative uses for the Dan River Mills Pedestrian Bridge, located between the White Mill and the new YMCA site (formerly the Long Mill), shown below.

We want you to be involved in every step of the process! We are currently brainstorming about what types of activities people would like to see in the space on and around the bridge, and we need your help! If you click the link below, you will be directed a survey where you can give your input about what you would like to see going on at the bridge site as well as space for additional comments.

Activities Survey

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to comment or email. We appreciate your input and look forward to working with you!