Renovating fifteen-year-old paths is no easy task. Fortunately, the Garden of Reflection 9-11 Memorial contacted Porous Pave. Their once washed-out, narrow, and non-ADA compliant paths were replaced with Porous Pave XL, providing the memorial garden with a new wide path that is not only ADA compliant but is also eco-friendly, porous and more durable. When the memorial garden was opened in 2006, a pathway system made from crushed red rock was placed around the perimeter giving attendees a space to walk around the sixty-two-acre memorial park.  Along this pathway, you will find a few benches and a courtyard with eighteen maple trees as a special tribute to the eighteen Bucks County Victims. After fifteen years, the red rock paths had seen enough - it was time for a new solution.

On February 17, 2020, Ellen Saracini contacted Porous Pave. She described the existing paths and asked if Porous Pave could be used as a new trail system for the memorial garden. Connor Ouwinga spoke with Ellen and discovered that not only has Ellen been the Champion of the memorial garden since the start but Ellen's husband, Captain Victor Saracini, was the pilot of United Airlines Flight #175 that was hi-jacked and crashed into the south tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Connor recalls speaking with Ellen for the first time, "She was so passionate about the memorial garden and the message it portrays to its many visitors. I could tell she wants the best for the memorial garden, and I had hoped we could install Porous Pave for them. As soon as Ellen and I got off the phone, I immediately called Dave (Company founder and owner) and told him about the opportunity. Ellen's energy could be felt through the phone and she had me excited about this opportunity." After speaking with Dave about the project, Connor contacted some of Porous Pave's suppliers for their help. After a few weeks of ironing out the details, Porous Pave was able to commit to donating the product and installation of over 10,000 square feet of Porous Pave XL.

Less than 7 months later, the old trails had been ripped out and the proper base was installed and prepped for the Porous Pave install. Material was delivered onsite Friday, September 18, and the installation was set to begin the following Tuesday morning. A typical crew of 6-7 laborers can install around 3,000-4,000 square feet of Porous Pave in a ten-hour day utilizing a standard mortar mixer. Fortunately, Porous Pave had purchased a new front mount skid steer mortar mixer and paving machine earlier that summer. With the help of some local contacts, Aquarius Irrigation Supply, Geesey Rock and Block Designs and Splash Marketing, the entire 10,400 Square feet was fully installed by noon on Wednesday. Dave Ouwinga says, "The installation went great! Not only did we finish quickly but I was happy with the quality of the installation. We are always happy to move fast on an installation, but the quality of the installation and finished product is what really matters!"

‍

After the Porous Pave installation was finished Ellen Saracini said, " I know everyone is going to love this! We are so excited! This even exceeds what it was 15 years ago. Over the years there has been deterioration of the walkways and surfaces. This donation helps bring it back to where we can now offer our community this wonderful peaceful place to walk and to gather, to sit on a bench and enjoy what this is supposed to be, a place where you can honor and remember those we lost."