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"Well I think it’s a major catalytic project that could transform the community. I think having water in general is something people are drawn to. We’re all drawn to creeks and streams. Bringing what was buried and put into a sewer pipe back into the surface I think could transform the community. But it’s going to take more than the MSD project; it’s going to take urban planners like myself. It’s going to take city planners and regional planners as well to revitalize this neighborhood."
-Brian Wamsley, Senior Planner at the Hamilton County Planning and Development Department |
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS...
Q: …The lick run watershed will affect the drive through aspect of Fairmount. Do you think it would entice people to come and stay there or do you think it will be a bridge in the overall development process of the community?
Well I think it’s a major catalytic project that could transform the community. I think having water in general is something people are drawn to. We’re all drawn to creeks and streams. Bringing what was buried and put into a sewer pipe back into the surface I think could transform the community. But it’s going to take more than the MSD project; it’s going to take urban planners like myself. It’s going to take city planners and regional planners as well to revitalize this neighborhood.
Q. What are some long-term effects with green infrastructure?
We hope it’s cheaper. We have a duty to provide lowest cost solutions. We also want to provide something that will benefit them (community). We use green approach first because it can be cheaper in the right place and the right time. It has social benefits for the community where we can provide a park where they can gather or a theater they can play at or a trail that you can recreate on. It might provide economic benefits in terms of redevelopment of the area around Queen City Ave. It might provide additional environmental benefits by putting in a stream that provides for the flowers on the side, it gives a habitat for new organisms. There are more benefits than just burying it underground.
Q. What are the environmental implications of constructing the VCS?
There will be a sediment fore bay at the beginning of the stream. There will be rocks to give more habitat, native plants, native trees, and water living plants. There will be environmental education. There will be a park setting.
Q. What about without the project, where would you see South Fairmount?
They really had a lack of investment in their neighborhood and without any investment in any type of neighborhood building projects, I feel the statistics showed before on housing decline and population decline would continue to get worse. Housing stock would continue to age and houses would continue to be torn down. Eventually we would be left with a hollow neighborhood, 50 to 100 years down the road.
Well I think it’s a major catalytic project that could transform the community. I think having water in general is something people are drawn to. We’re all drawn to creeks and streams. Bringing what was buried and put into a sewer pipe back into the surface I think could transform the community. But it’s going to take more than the MSD project; it’s going to take urban planners like myself. It’s going to take city planners and regional planners as well to revitalize this neighborhood.
Q. What are some long-term effects with green infrastructure?
We hope it’s cheaper. We have a duty to provide lowest cost solutions. We also want to provide something that will benefit them (community). We use green approach first because it can be cheaper in the right place and the right time. It has social benefits for the community where we can provide a park where they can gather or a theater they can play at or a trail that you can recreate on. It might provide economic benefits in terms of redevelopment of the area around Queen City Ave. It might provide additional environmental benefits by putting in a stream that provides for the flowers on the side, it gives a habitat for new organisms. There are more benefits than just burying it underground.
Q. What are the environmental implications of constructing the VCS?
There will be a sediment fore bay at the beginning of the stream. There will be rocks to give more habitat, native plants, native trees, and water living plants. There will be environmental education. There will be a park setting.
Q. What about without the project, where would you see South Fairmount?
They really had a lack of investment in their neighborhood and without any investment in any type of neighborhood building projects, I feel the statistics showed before on housing decline and population decline would continue to get worse. Housing stock would continue to age and houses would continue to be torn down. Eventually we would be left with a hollow neighborhood, 50 to 100 years down the road.