On Saturday June 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at St. Elizabeth’s of Hungary Parish Center, Milone and McBroom, an engineering, landscape architecture, and planning firm will lead a discussion on the flood chutes in North Adams – how to preserve their flood control functions while, at the same time, making them recreational and cultural amenities and drivers of economic growth. Many communities around the nation have been able to create 21st century flood control systems that also benefit fish and other aquatic organisms, allow for appropriate river access, and promote waterfront developments of many kinds.
The morning will focus on the present-day condition and effects of the flood chutes, and will offer examples of how citizens in other communities have successfully retrofitted similar flood chutes to meet additional recreational and cultural objectives. Participants will then split up into smaller groups, and with guidance from Milone and McBroom professionals, discuss what might be done to preserve the flood control functions of the chutes while also addressing river recreation, parklands, and economic development.
Just before lunch the gathering will reconvene to hear summaries of the individual group
discussions. Lunch will be provided free to participants, who might enjoy it along the river.
In the afternoon, again with guidance from the professionals, the discussion will focus on implementing the morning’s ideas. At the close of the workshop, Milone and McBroom staff with summarize the day’s work and describe what comes next. This will include the presentation in autumn 2010 of a Concept Plan developed according to the ideas generated by the Community Conversation. At that time, interested citizens can discuss and come to consensus on the goals outlined in the Plan.
In preparation for the June 26 meeting, members of the Hoosic River Revival Coalition, the meeting’s sponsors, will lead walking tours of sections of the Hoosic River on Friday June 18 and again on Friday June 25, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Contact the Coalition at HoosicRiverRevival@gmail.com or 413 822-2376 for more information about the walks, the Community Conversation or the Coalition.