The challenge of creating a harbor place destination along this section of the Champlain Canal was that the undifferentiated shoreline was lined with a rock breakwater and the width of the canal, with its prescribed navigable channel, was insufficient to encourage finger piers. The traditional boat "marina" was already established beneath the tiny and historic Downtown at the mouth of Lake Champlain. Therefore, the available acreage was designed more for fairs, seasonal markets and festivals with activity and picnic pavilions linked to the canal trailway system as well as on-site parking. By carving a stepped amphitheater into the sloped embankment, a performance / viewing "place" focused music and dance at the water's edge, and provided an organizational framework for pedestrians and vendors.