The decline of the economy has destroyed the population of South Fairmount, leaving those left behind a blank slate of decay to rebuild — or not to rebuild — as they see fit. But will the Lick Run project be the catalyst for growth, or will construction and demolition of what's left leave them paralyzed?
A unique set of circumstances came together to make South Fairmount the perfect location for the Lick Run project. This watershed has the worst combined overflow in all of Hamilton County. This got the attention of MSD planners who realized that many factors came together to make this the perfect community for the project. |
"Nature picked Lick-Run,” said Blume. "Because it’s in a watershed and it’s at the bottom of a water shed...that’s what got us in trouble in the first place, we didn’t respect the natural drainage system, and put everything in a pipe."
"Nature picked Lick-Run,” said Blume. "Because it’s in a watershed and it’s at the bottom of a water shed...that’s what got us in trouble in the first place, we didn’t respect the natural drainage system, and put everything in a pipe. When the city ignored nature's path toward water contamination, there was no way to stop it. Once they outgrew the capacity for their pipelines, the water overflowed and contaminated the Mill Creek, which easily leads into the Ohio River, contaminating that as well with storm and sewer pollutants. "We were screwed," Blume said.
Though this location was perfect for the Lick Run project, it wasn’t the only possibility. The community and the MSD had a choice of either a temporarily helpful “grey” solution — to build a giant pipe that would help for a while so that the community could pass the test set by the state — or they could choose the “green” option: to develop a method of long-term, sustainable water purification and drainage. Naturally, the leaders of the Lick Run project decided to use their gift of 222, 000 million to create a greenway.
"We use green approach first because it can be cheaper in the right place and the right time and we also want to provide something that will benefit the community," said Brian Wamsley, senior planner at the Hamilton County Planning and Development Department. "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 a pipe underground.”
Though this location was perfect for the Lick Run project, it wasn’t the only possibility. The community and the MSD had a choice of either a temporarily helpful “grey” solution — to build a giant pipe that would help for a while so that the community could pass the test set by the state — or they could choose the “green” option: to develop a method of long-term, sustainable water purification and drainage. Naturally, the leaders of the Lick Run project decided to use their gift of 222, 000 million to create a greenway.
"We use green approach first because it can be cheaper in the right place and the right time and we also want to provide something that will benefit the community," said Brian Wamsley, senior planner at the Hamilton County Planning and Development Department. "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 a pipe underground.”
“If a window is broken it stays broken and nobody cares then that just perpetuates more of nobody caring," said Gary. "So if somebody even in a small way starts to care about the community, then more people will start to care about the community. It’s just infectious; it grows.”
Once it was decided that the "green" route was the best decision, Human Nature Inc. began working with officials and city planners to make sure the project was everything it needed to be to reduce the CSO's, but also to make sure they were maximizing the benefit to the South Fairmount community. "We were working directly with residents and stakeholders and other interested people to define not only what this project looks like, but what the goals and objectives were," said Gary Wolnitzek, the principal and co-founder of Human Nature. "Not only for the South Fairmount neighborhood and the urban water way but also the entire Lick-Run watershed." It was very important for the team at Human Nature to assure that for every step of the project, there was input from the community. "It's all about awareness," said Joseph Danyluk. "We try to collect all the information about the community, about the project and we try to bring everyone to the same level of information so community leaders and citizens not only know about the project going on but why does the MSD needs to do this."
The team at Human Nature believes that making this improvement in South Fairmount will have an exponentially positive affect on the community's economy and population. Gary calls this the broken window affect. "-
The team at Human Nature believes that making this improvement in South Fairmount will have an exponentially positive affect on the community's economy and population. Gary calls this the broken window affect. "-