BENTON HARBOR, Mich. — The money didn't show up overnight, commented one attendee at the community summit: "It's been some heavy fighting over the years."
On Wednesday, the city of Benton Harbor and its state and local partners shared what they plan to do with the hard-fought money and resources they've received for the Ox Creek restoration, a project that's believed to be a catalyst for urban development.
"I want to throw my passion at it," said Dane Rasmussen, the recently hired project manager for the restoration. "There's a lot of opportunity and options along the way."
READ MORE: Ox Creek restoration to be a 'catalyst' for investment, Benton Harbor says
A grant from NOAA allowed the city of Benton Harbor to hire Rasmussen for the next three years, a deal he believes will be renewed. In total, around $9 million in federal and state funding has been dedicated to the "multi-decade" project, including $3 million earmarked in a federal omnibus bill.
"It's really much more than a project; it's a movement," said Emily Finnell, the Great Lakes senior adviser and strategist for EGLE. "This is really a transformational and catalytic effort for the community."
A recent draft of the Ox Creek Framework Strategic Implementation Plan was shared at the summit, separated into seven steps:
- Restore habitat and increase resilience
- Improve water quality and manage water quantity by addressing urban and rural runoff
- Create economic redevelopment opportunities by addressing legacy contamination at Harbor Plating and Modern Plastics
- Create and revitalize places to gather, enjoy, explore and play
- Create system of pedestrian trails, parks and amenities
- Clean up and prevent illegal dumping
- Build community capacity and stewardship
In the past year at Hall Park, the Berrien County Conservation District has already surveyed and removed invasive species, including multiflora rose, autumn olive and bush honeysuckle, funded by a $27,400 grant from the U.S. Forest Service.
A new basketball court is also planned for the park and the proposed series of pedestrian trails will run through it, too.
"We know that extending a pedestrian corridor through the center of the city and into Benton Township is going to open up opportunities for people," Rasmussen said.
From habitat restoration to parks and recreation, Rasmussen knows the Ox Creek corridor won't be overhauled in a day. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and he and the city are focused on finishing in due time.
"Water is life. It really, really drives where we live and how we live," Rasmussen said.
