Lawrence Candidate for Great Neighborhoods Initiative
April 25th, 2012
Read about the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance’s Great Neighborhoods Initiative here and Groundwork Lawrence’s long-time role in that transformation.
Richmond, California, wins $5 million for Greenway!
April 20th, 2012
The State of California awarded Richmond a $5 million Prop 84 grant to continue developing the Richmond Greenway from 2nd Street to 20th Street! Read about it here and about Groundwork Richmond’s role in bringing the community into the decision-making process about the Greenway.
Dona Ana Youth Revitalize the Sierra Vista Trail
April 19th, 2012
GW Dona Ana has been awarded the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) Grant to fund a revitalization project of nine miles of the Sierra Vista Trail and build 1.5 miles of new trail over the Tortugas Mountain (“A-Mountain”). The Sierra Vista Trail is the southern part of a trail system on the west side of the Organ Mountains. The nine mile section is located on the west side of the Organ Mountains (and extends from Dripping Springs Rd. (north) to the Pena Blanca trail head (south).
Industry to Neighborhood in Lawrence
April 19th, 2012
Read here about how Groundwork Lawrence has been working with the City and a broad coalition to turn Lawrence’s mill areas into vibrant neighborhoods with new businesses and housing, leveraging community resources through the Reviviendo Gateway Initiative.
Fitness Deserts in DC
February 27th, 2012
GW Anacostia DC is working with partners to address the problem of a lack of publicly available fitness equipment. Read more about it here.
GWHV in Grist Magazine!
February 27th, 2012
Grist Magazine covers the daylighting of the Saw Mill River in Yonkers, NY, and Groundwork’s role in it.
Job Training for Stormwater Control in Providence
February 26th, 2012
GW Providence and their partners at the University of Rhode Island, Gates Leighton Landscape Architects and the Providence Housing Authority worked with EPA Region 1 on an adult job training program that brought together a diverse group of community residents and industry professionals to install a rain garden at a public housing site in Providence, RI. Click here for more info.
The Saw Mill River flows in Yonkers!
December 13th, 2011
After ten years of persistent hard work, by Groundwork Hudson Valley and local and state partners, to get the Saw Mill River daylighted, the river finally flows through dowtown Yonkers, NY. Check out Groundwork Hudson Valley’s website for more information.
Denver Green Team at Sand Creek Massacre
December 12th, 2011
Check out a YouTube video of the Denver Green Team’s visit to Sand Creek Massacre this summer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44jNM5NoD-4
Groundbreaking for Elizabeth River Trail!
November 2nd, 2011
Below is GW Elizabeth’s Press Release:
Elizabeth, N.J., Wednesday, October 26th, 2011–For generations, residents and stakeholders in Elizabeth and throughout UnionCounty have envisioned a trail along the banks of the ElizabethRiver. First proposed by the Olmsted Architectural Firm in the 1920’s, constant flooding by the waterway prevented actual construction. In the 1970’s the Army Corps of Engineers remedied the flooding problem by channelizing the river in theElizabeth downtown, and through dirt berms along County Parks, theElizabeth River Parkway andMattanoPark systems. This flood solution became the first step in a process that now will result in an Elizabeth River Trail System.
On Wednesday, October 26th, the Mayor of Elizabeth, Chris Bollwage, joined by members of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, representatives from the US Senate and House of Representatives, delegates from the National Park Service Rivers and Trails Conservation Assistance Program, the NJ DOT, NJ DEP, and Groundwork Elizabeth, will gather at the St. John’s Parsonage, at 11 a.m. at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Elizabeth River Trail.
Mayor Chris Bollwage, a lifelong resident ofElizabethand in his role as civic leader, has been a longtime proponent of the project and of Groundwork Elizabeth’s role as orchestrator of the many partnerships that were forged to address the trail. “We seek to consistently upgrade the livability of the City”, said Mayor Bollwage, “Our goals are consistent with Groundwork Elizabeth and they have been eager allies in our shared mission to makeElizabetha better place to work, to live and to visit”.
Groundwork’s President Bob Varady is thrilled with the groundbreaking, “We are pleased to have been able to participate in a project of such prominence here in the City. Groundwork has been successful in building partnerships as we “change places and change lives”, and we thank everyone for their dedication and participation in their work on the River Trail”. Funding for the project was first secured through the Federal Transportation Act of 2006, leveraged by an apportionment through the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, supplemented by funds through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
TheElizabethRivertrail is due to be built in phases. The groundbreaking signifies the first phase, built fromSouth Broad StreettoBridge Street. Subsequent phases will extend the trail under the new Rt. 1 & 9 overpass, through theElizabeth River ParkwayandMattanoPark, and eventually connect to another trail at the Arthur Kill. The 2 ¼ mile trail will allow pedestrians, cyclists, joggers, and others unimpeded motor-free access to the City, and will also eventually connect with a larger project, the East Coast Greenway, through a Midtown Development Project. Artwork is featured along the first Phase, funded by a grant from the National Recreational Trails program, and there are plans for kayak launches, educational outposts, lighting, and other design elements that resulted from a design charette organized to include ideas from the community. This phase of the trail should be completed by Spring 2012.
The Groundwork Program was brought to the City in 2002, a result of a search by the National Park Service RTCA, which continues to oversee Groundwork USA’s expansion into cities which have environmental urban challenges such as Brownfields. Groundwork’s newest program is called “Come Grow With Us”, an urban community gardening program. For more information, log onto www.groundworkelizabeth.com, or call 289-0262. For more information on the City of Elizabeth, logo onto the City of Elizabeth website at www.elizabethnj.org.