From: Ken Fudge
Columbus
At the last Redevelopment Commission meeting, I asked if anyone had considered the safety of the Riverfront project beyond just removing the low-head dam. Neither the mayor, who was present, nor the commissioners answered my question.
It’s clear the commission green-lighted this $10 million project without having any answers or understanding of the public safety issues and ongoing costs of the project. They are merely rubberstamping what Jim Lienhoop wants.
The project’s location in White River is very unsafe for other reasons besides the dam.
- There are all kinds of deadfall in the river which causes undertows.
- The Flatrock River flows at a much slower rate than the Driftwood, causing a deceptively dangerous cross current.
- The flow rate of the river can be very strong and unpredictable even at levels well below flood stage.
- There is E. coli present at high levels.
None of these public safety issues have been addressed.
Will this be another Parks project we build and do not maintain?
- Who will check the E. coli content in the water and the flow rate of the river every day?
- Will cleaning the concrete beach and stone steps of slick muck left by the silt-laden waters be practical?
- Will there be a safety crew on hand to rescue people in trouble on the water from dawn to dusk every day?
- How will the Riverfront be closed during unsafe times of high-flow rates?
- How much will it all cost?
None of these questions have been answered.
If the city puts artificial rapids in the river that are often unsafe, I think they would be morally and legally responsible for injury or death.
- How many kayakers do we have in our community who have the skills to safely enjoy the artificial rapids?
- How much use would it be given due to the volatile rises and falls in flow rates and E. coli levels?
More unanswered questions.
The project manager, Randy Royer, is former Mayor Fred Armstrong’s son-in-law. Royer’s firm has been awarded approximately $800,000 in tax dollars to design the Riverfront even though Royer is a landscape designer and never done anything like this or of this magnitude.
My opinion is the project is merely a mechanism for payment for Royer’s political support in Lienhoop’s election.
It’s time to move in a different direction and abandon this project in favor of one that would benefit more our citizens who are footing the bill. Vision should include common sense and incorporate the masses rather than the few.
Could $10 million be better spent on the Riverfront with a people trail bridge along the bank of the Pump House and a new flood-safe amphitheater as proposed by the previous administration? For water recreation, wouldn’t a splash pad for the kids be infinitely safer?
It’s time to stop spending so much money on fat contracts for Lienhoop’s cronies to serve tourists and spend it on serving our citizens.
Maybe it’s time to give Lienhoop the vision of being voted out of office.
