TRAVERSE CITY, MI – The construction of a “globally significant” fish sorting channel and upgrades to an accompanying park are on hold after citizens came out in opposition to the removal of 63 trees, which is part of the construction process.
Work was set to get underway last week, but a judge put a stop to it before it could begin, WPBN/WGTU reports. Citizens opposed to the project believe they should have had a chance to vote on it; the judge is now charged with determining whether that’s the case.
The $19.3 million Union Street Dam Fishpass Project in downtown Traverse City is aimed at reconnecting the Boardman/Ottaway River and Grand Traverse Bay to restore the ecosystem - positively impacting at least 30 key species.
One of the groups behind the project, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, is “disappointed with the delay” but remains “excited and optimistic” that it will move forward soon, especially because the opposition is not directly related to the Fishpass but the parkland surrounding it, spokesman Marc Gaden told MLive.
“We stand ready, along with our dedicated local, state, federal and tribal partners, to move forward with this globally significant project once the judicial process is complete,” he said.
Shortly before site preparation, including installing fencing and removing trees, was expected to begin, Judge Thomas Power of the Grand Traverse County 13th Circuit Court ordered a preliminary injunction, WPBN/WGTU reports.
RELATED: ‘Fish sorting channel,’ park construction underway in Northern Michigan
“There is to be no earth moving, no tree cutting, no construction on this project pending further order of the court,” Power said.
The project, which is four years in the making, would reconnect the Boardman River to Lake Michigan and is the final piece of an ecosystem restoration project for the river. Plans also include a renovation of the Union Street Dam Park, including new green spaces, a foot bridge overlooking the river, docks, a kayak launch, an amphitheater and steps to the water. Prior to the delay, it was expected to be completed in spring 2023.
The project would leverage the knowledge of fish biologists from around the world to evaluate fish sorting technologies to combat invasive species, such as the sea lamprey, from moving upstream while allowing native species to pass. The innovative approach could be used to reconnect lakes and rivers around the world, thereby restoring ecosystems.
This final phase of the river restoration initiative is primarily funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and led by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in partnership with Traverse City, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
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The Link LonkJanuary 28, 2021 at 04:46AM
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Opposition to removal of 63 trees delays construction of fish sorting channel - MLive.com
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