Happy New Year to you all!
2022 was a bumper year for the OVA, a return to a sort of normalcy pre pandemic saw the return of the Spring yard sales, Bumpers, Bikes and Bands and the Halloween Block Party to Liberty St. We also managed to hold a Chili Cook Off. All of these events were well attended and supported by residents and business owners – as we always say – it takes a Village!
So here we are at the start of 2023 – what will this year bring to Old Village?
First up is a very special OVA meeting.
Wednesday January 11th 2023
6.30pm – 7.30pm
Bearded Lamb Brewery (second floor)
149 W. Liberty Street Plymouth MI 48170
(please note that the meeting room does not have universal access
Background:
Wayne County Parks and Alliance of Rouge Communities [ARC] representatives will be providing an overview of the upcoming restoration projects at Wilcox and Phoenix Lakes. Some planned improvements include dredging contaminated sediment, removing invasive species and establishing spawning habitat for native fish to name a few.
These historical impoundments [called lakes locally] are roughly located in the north end of Plymouth’s Old Village, north central end of Plymouth Township and the central south edge of Northville Township. The late Henry Ford used these two impoundments as reservoirs to harness hydroelectricity as a method to power the two adjacent manufacturing facilities that produced parts for airplanes and vehicles.
These projects are being funded by the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The Rouge River is one of 25 remaining Areas of Concern. These projects will help make steps to remove them from this federal designation. To learn more about the project, visit The Rock, December 2022 issue p. 12-14 for more details and sketches of the draft improvements.
This is an important opportunity to learn more about the project and provide feedback to Wayne County Parks specifically regarding these projects for consideration.
Please RSVP on Eventbrite so we can make sure to have enough room for everyone who wishes to participate.
This public meeting will be held at the regularly scheduled Plymouth Old Village Association’s monthly meeting time. Regular OVA business will follow the conclusion of this public meeting.
About the Projects:
Wilcox Lake , roughly located in the north end of Plymouth’s Old Village, and Phoenix Lake, situated on the line between Plymouth and Northville Townships, are historical impoundments used by two of Henry Ford’s manufacturing facilities to harness hydroelectric energy for use.
These projects, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, will improve the health of the lakes and Rouge River by removing contaminated sediments and invasive species, and by establishing spawning habitats for native fish.
The completion of these projects will help make steps to remove the Rouge River as a federally designated Area of Concern, a list which it as occupied since 1987. Removal from this list will mean that the communities of the Rouge River watershed will have a healthier Rouge to enjoy for the first time in generations.
To learn more about recent Area of Concern projects that have been completed recently in the Rouge, visit [DredgingToday.com FOTR post]
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THIS MEETING!
And don’t forget to RSVP at the following link
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rouge-river-aoc-habitat-restoration-for-wilcox-and-phoenix-lakes-tickets-488643524937?aff=affiliate1
Jan
