>>> THE HOOSIC RIVER REVIVAL GROUP MAY STILL BE MANY YEARS
AWAY FROM SEEING THEIR VISION OF A MORE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE
WATERWAY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF NORTH ADAMS COME TO FRUITION,
BUT THAT HASN'T DAMPENED THEIR AMBITIONS FOR IMPROVING THE
CITY.
TO BRING US THIS STORY, CONNECTING POINT'S BRIAN
SULLIVAN RETURNED TO THE HOME OF HIS ALMA MATER AND FOUND BOTH A
CITY IN RESURGENCE, AND SOME FLOOD CHUTES IN NEED OF REPAIRS.
>> SINCE THE 199 1990S, THIS CITY HAS UNDERGONE A CULTURAL
TRANSFORMATION BUT IT WASN'T ALWAYS THIS WAY, PARTICULARLY
WHEN THIS REPORTER WAS AN UNDERGRADUATE HERE AND DEPENDING
ON WHICH WAY ONE ENTERS THE CITY, THE OLD AND NEW IS CLEAR
FOR ALL TO SEE.
THESE SIGNS DIRECTING TRAFFIC TO LANDMARKS THAT THE CITY WANTS TO
SHOWCASE WERE NOT AS PREVALENT IN THE 90s AND GIANT BRICK
BUILDINGS STAND AS A BYGONE PART OF AN ERA.
WHILE OTHERS HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED, THERE ARE PLENTY
STANDING THAT AWAIT THEIR CHANCE TO BE THE NEXT RECLAMATION
PROJECT.
THIS BRIDGE IS FAR STRETCHING AND THE BLACKENED AREA BEHIND ME
COULD BE A TARGET FOR OFFICE SPACE.
THE RIVER TO MY LEFT HAS BEEN HERE ALL ALONG AND NOT LEAVING
ANY TIME SOON.
THE CONCRETE WALLS AND FLOOD CHUTES PROTECTING THE CITY?
THAT IS A DIDN'T STORY.
THE RIVER IS A TRIBUTARY OF THE HUDSON, SEVERAL BRANCHES
CRISS-CROSSING THE AREA.
THE FIRST BRANCH RUNS PARALLEL TO ROUTE 8 AND CAN BE SEEN FROM
THE ATHLETIC FIELD COMPLEX.
>> THE NORTH BRANCH, THE STEEPER ONE COMES OUT OF SOUTHERN
VERMONT OUT OF THE GREEN MOUNTAINS, ACTUALLY, AND COMES
DOWN THROUGH CLARKSBURG, NORTH ADAMS, KIND OF RIGHT NEXT TO THE
MOHAWK TRAIL AND RIGHT AT THE END OF THE MUSEUM FOR
CONTEMPORARY ART IS WHERE THE TWO BRANCHES COME TOGETHER.
>> AND IT IS BEHIND MASS MOCHA WHERE THEY ARE FRONT AND CENTER.
BEING IN THE NORTH VALLEY, NORTH ADAMS HAS BEEN SUSCEPTIBLE AND
VICTIM OF FLOODS IN EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS INCLUDING SEVERAL
IN THE 20TH CENTURY.
THOSE LED TO A CONGRESSIONAL ACTION TO APPROPRIATE OVER
$14 MILLION TO BEGIN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE FLOOD
CHUTES IN 1950.
THEY MAY NOT BE MUCH TO LOOK AT BUT SINCE THEIR COMPLETION IN
1929, THEY HAVE SERVED THEIR PURPOSE.
NOW THE TECHNOLOGY IS BEGINNING TO SHOW SOME CRACKS, LITERALLY,
AND IF MASS MOCHA IS VIEWED AS THE CATALYST FOR THE BOOST
OCCASION -- BEAUTIFICATION OF NORTH ADAMS,
THE INFRASTRUCTURE SHOULD BE A CONTINUATION OF THAT PROCESS.
AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT THE RIVER REVIVAL GROUP IS TRYING TO
ACCOMPLISH.
>> HISTORICALLY, THE RIVER PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN DEVELOPING
THE ECONOMY OF NORTH ADAMS AND AS IT REVITALIZES, THANKS IN
PART TO UCLA AND MASS MOCHA AS OUR ANCHOR INSTITUTION, WE SEE
THE RIVER AS BECOMING AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE REGIONAL
ECONOMY.
>> ONE LOCAL BUSINESS HAS ALREADY TAPPED INTO THE
POTENTIAL THE RIVER HAS TO OFFER WITH THIS RESORT.
IT FEATURES THIS SUSPENSION BRIDGE AND IS ONLY A STONE'S
THROW FROM THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL.
FOLLOW THE TRAIN EASTWARD INTO THE CITY AND WE COME TO THE
FIELD COMPLEX WHERE A REVIVAL GROUP HAS THEIR OWN PROJECT SET
FOR THE FIR PHASE.ST PHASE.
>> WE HAVE OUR OWN RESTORATION PHASE ONE PROJECT AREA WHICH
WILL CREATE AN ACCESSIBLE RIVER, ONE THAT HAS ACTUAL HABITAT IN
IT.
WE'RE GOING TO REPRODUCE THE NATURAL SORT OF MEANDERING
PATTERN OF THE RIVER AND ADD SOME NEW RECREATIONAL FIELDS AND
HOPEFULLY GET THE BIKE PATH IN AS WELL.
>> WE'RE HOPING TO REVITALIZE THAT AREA OF THE RIVER, UPDATE
THE BALL PARKS AND THE FLOOD CONTROL USING 21ST CENTURY
TECHNOLOGY AGAIN AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A PRICE TAG OF AROUND
$30 MILLION FOR THAT PROJECT.
>> MEANWHILE, THE COST TO REPAIR EACH PANEL LIKE THIS ONE HERE
CARRIES A PRICE TAG OF ROUGHLY HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AND FOR A
PROJECT THAT IS ALREADY EIGHT YEARS IN ON THE PLANNING STAGES
AND AT LEAST TEN YEARS OUT ON COMPLETION SHOULD THEY RECEIVE
THE FUNDING, THE GROUP MAY APPEAR TO BE STARRY-EYED
CONSUMERS AT THIS POINT BUT THEIR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO ADD
VALUE TO THE MILL TOWN AS IT SURGES FORWARD IN THE 21ST
CENTURY.
>> EVERYONE WANTS TO LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL PLACE SO IMPROVING
ACCESSIBILITY AND APPEARANCE OF THE RIVER IMPROVES THE QUALITY
OF LIFE FOR NORTH ADAMS.