Urban Waterways and the Impact of History

This sixth issue traces the history of the changing nature of the relationships between urban waterways and their surrounding communities. Urban Waterways Newsletter 6
Urban Waterways and the Impact of History
This sixth issue traces the history of the changing nature of the relationships between urban waterways and their surrounding communities. Urban Waterways Newsletter 6
On Saturday, March 28th 2015, 30 panelists representing such organizations as Groundwork Anacostia River, The Anacostia Watershed Society, The District Department of the Environment, The Federal City Council , The University of the District of Columbia, The Louisville Waterfront Development, and LA’s The City Project gathered at Thurgood Marshall Academy for a day- long symposium to address the issues of: Education & Practice, Recreation & Environmentalism, Models in Grassroots Leadership, Collaboration Techniques, Waterfront Development, and Gentrification & New Urbanism.The gathering of environmentalists, community leaders, civic leaders, educators, scholars, and DC metro area residents was the culmination of one of the driving forces of the Urban Waterways Project whose primary goal is the exploration of the various relationships between urban rivers and the people living along their banks.
This emphasis on communities… people, proved to be a re-occurring theme throughout the day’s discussion. The very nature of water, a multi-dimensional element which touches past, present, and future, up-river, down-river, tourist and resident, Alexis Goggans of DC’s Office of Planning pointed out, requires us to reconsider how we envision the nature of cities. Such visions can and should be driven by the needs of those living in areas which are the most impacted by issues surrounding the redevelopment of urban waterways and their environs. Communities must appoint themselves as stewards, owning and taking the lead on issues in their own neighborhoods. The cultivation of community ownership best takes place in an atmosphere of trust in which engaged residents, educated in the issues which impact their lives, have a sense of place. Irma Munoz of Mujeres de la Tierra describes this as a sense of integrity and who you are. It is this sense of ownership and stewardship which allows communities to recognize and embrace their possible roles in the changes taking place along their waterfronts.
The power of residents’ ownership of such changes is reflected in the experiences of Louisville’s Waterfront Development Corporation which has recognized the importance of the inclusion of everyone from the beginning. “Build interest, engage the media … each step of the way must have things that appeal to the public… this is of interest to you.” The importance of such engagement was echoed by Baltimore Parks & People’s Lisa Schroeder who underscored the growing necessity of collaboration among the communities along urban rivers, as beleaguered cities have fewer resources to address all of the issues involved in creating and maintaining healthy, sustainable neighborhoods. If riverfronts are to be the centers of public and community life, stakeholders must take a multi-disciplinary approach, with the understanding that the traditional attitudes of “healing” communities from without doesn’t necessarily work in all situations.
If collaboration between stakeholders and the inclusion of all stakeholders is the key to success, both panelists and attendees understand the importance of paying attention to who is being served, and who has been denied access to urban waterfronts. The distribution of resources must reflect the communities sharing their lives along urban rivers. Polices are needed to provide a framework for change. Cultures of stewardship need to be created and maintained. The discussions which took part at the Urban Waterways Symposium should serve as the start of ongoing conversations and collaborations. The next practical step: getting people to the riverbanks.
Other images from the day.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thurgood Marshall Academy PCHS
2427 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
Washington, DC 20020
One of the central goals of the Urban Waterways project has been to provide means for the collaborators in our network to share their concerns, practices, and accomplishments with communities facing similar challenges. On March 28, 2015, the museum will provide a space for our collaborators as they gather for the Urban Waterways Symposium.
Panelists from Baltimore, Chicago, D.C., Hawaii, Los Angeles, Louisville, and Turkey Creek will gather to share their experiences, best practices, and next steps regarding such issues as Education & Practice, Environmentalism & Recreation, Grassroots Leadership, Collaboration, Waterfront Development, and Gentrification & New Urbanism.
The symposium will help to further the project’s long-standing goals of creating a cross-disciplinary dialogue among scholars, government officials, activists, and scientists, eliciting first-hand information from residents of local communities, and engaging all who are interested with on-going activities that will enable their participation in reclamation, restoration, and appropriate redevelopment of their urban waterways and their communities.
Register at urbanwaterways.eventzilla.net
Use Invite Code ACMUWS2015
9:00-10:00 AM
CHECK-IN & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
CONCURRENT PANEL SESSIONS
10:00-11:15 AM
EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
RECREATION & ENVIRONMENTALISM
11:30 AM-12:45 PM
COLLABORATION TECHNIQUES
MODELS IN GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP
1:00-2:15 PM
KEYNOTE & LUNCH
2:30 -3:45 PM
WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT
GENTRIFICATION & NEW URBANISM