2008-2020
In 2008, more than 30 community residents gathered to share interest in and questions about the feasibility of researching if/how our downtown concrete-channelized Hoosic River might be transformed into a 21st century flood control system that is also an attractive, accessible, and ecological asset for the city.
From 2008- 2013, the River Revival Coalition:
- Raised funds for community outreach presentations and consultants’ research
- Hired consultants to lead an all-day event about USA restoration projects
- Created a website, a historical walking brochure, 2 community gardens
- Became a Priority Project for the State of Massachusetts
- Shared consultants’ restoration options for our river at city-wide meeting
- Formed a 501 c (3) corporation called the Hoosic River Revival.
From 2014-17, the Board of Directors and Advisory Council of the River Revival:
- Honored that Founder Judy Grinnell was given EPA Region 1 Merit Award
- Chose with Mayor the site of Phase One restoration: South Branch Noel Field area
- With strong support from Rep. Cariddi and Sen. Dowling, MA legislation voted to include $8,775,000 for Phase One in ’15-’19 Environmental Bond Bill
- MA Gov Patrick urges MA Div. of Ecol. Restoration to allocate $500,000 for preliminary design of Phase One South Branch restoration
- Submitted the Phase One design to the NY District Corps of Engineers and subsequently received the Corps’ analysis/recommendations
- Increased fund raising efforts with goal of hiring of our first Executive Director and submitting next level of Phase One design to the Corps
- South Branch development temporarily stalled while working with the Extreme Miniature Railroad Museum on Sons of Italy parcel-sharing agreement
- MA Dept of Ecol. Restoration shifts $220,000 from South Branch to development of a conceptual plan for North Branch, bringing their ’09-’17 funding total to $700,000
- Worked with artist David B. Borden on his tri-part public art display
From 2018-20:
- With both a North and a South Branch Conceptual Plan, HRR’s primary focus worked with the City on its Municipal Vulnerability Plan and developing stronger relationships with state and federal officials in order to have our project in an Infrastructure Bill.
- Increase fund raising efforts with the Phase One restoration in 2022.
We look forward to the next step in this most challenging and exciting endeavor: to go from ‘design to development’ of the Phase One restoration of the Hoosic River in North Adams.