TERRE HAUTE — In just five short years, the dream of reclaiming Terre Haute’s storied Wabash riverfront has become near reality.
On the west side of the river we are close to commitments that will turn 7,000 acres of frequently flooded marginal farmland into a thriving state fish and wildlife refuge, attracting tens of thousands of wildlife enthusiasts annually, including hunters and fishermen. But where this development is potentially unmatched in the Midwest, its allure is heightened by the notion it will provide a living ecological laboratory anchored by a world-class, bricks-and-mortar educational hub shared by educators and students as we “green” and clean our world.
On the river’s east bank, north of Wabash Avenue, Indiana State University has made the decision to target its expansion westward to the river, developing largely abandoned former industrial areas into playing fields and housing.
The third vital piece of reclaiming our riverfront lies between Fairbanks Park and Interstate 70, an area of mostly vacant industrial land and possible brownfields, which we hope does not serve a future role similar to its abused past.
Unlike the success stories west and north, reclamation of this area is stalled by a combination of questionable public policy and private interest, as well as scarce financial resources.
A remarkable collection of volunteers under the umbrella plan of Riverscape has accomplished so much in so little time, making a vision first advanced 90 years ago a near reality — the use of riverfront south of Fairbanks Park as a vibrant and beautiful area expanding recreation and appropriate development opportunities for our community.
Now we stand at a crossroads, unable to move forward until important decisions are made.
These are decisions that may very well define our community for the next century. There are three important issues.
First, will we move to finally and permanently change our city’s reputation as a place laughed at for its odors?
Because of a combination of better enforcement and closing of odiferous plants, Terre Haute has only two odor emitters remaining on the southwest side. One of them is the city-owned sewage disposal plant, and to the city’s credit, major expenditures are being made to rebuild and enlarge that plant, which should remove most if not all odors, 50 years after it was built.
Unfortunately, our city is about to add a potential new source of odors, right in the projected Riverscape development area, west of the former International Paper plant.
The city’s plan is part of its solution for the combined sewer overflow (CSO) problem that, for nearly 40 years, federal legislation has mandated to be solved. Our city has no choice on whether a mixture of storm and normal sewage no longer flows untreated into the Wabash River, but it does have choices on how to solve the problem.
The current solution is the cheapest: Hold millions of gallons of mixed sewage in an open sewage lagoon until it can be processed later at the sewage disposal plant. Common sense — and almost everyone, including a variety of engineers — says there will be times, especially in the heat of summer, when this will smell. Historically, 30 or so storm events, multiplied by four to seven days of holding, will involve a significant part of the year.
There are better solutions, and we implore Mayor Bennett to work with Riverscape and others to find a better solution. Federal and state regulations call for citizen involvement in the decision-making regarding the CSO solution, and we encourage Mayor Bennett to seek that input. The redevelopment of the 66 acres of the former International Paper property along Prairieton Road for housing, light commercial and entertainment is not likely with an open sewage lagoon sitting on its western edge.
We are close to abolishing odor as Terre Haute’s regrettable signature. That will be good for attracting new people to our community, new business and industry and new students to our colleges and university. Let’s not reverse course.
Second, will we decide as a community that our riverfront should celebrate the river with appropriate development, not outdated, outmoded and low-tech uses?
Beginning in the 19th century, riverfront property was used for industries like meat packing, food processing and chemical processing because rivers were handy sewers. As the importance of clean water increased, industry standards improved and much of these antiquated properties disappeared, replaced often by auto junkyards and other such sub-par uses. Terre Haute followed those trends.
Now we are served by three excellent industrial parks, the latest of which is the former Pfizer property, that are designed for the needs of modern industry. New industry is not going to be interested in those former industrial properties along the river.
As a community, we must make the decision to guide redevelopment of these old properties toward uses that will add value to our community. Nobody is making new riverfront property anymore; we can only reuse what we have, and that is a tremendous opportunity.
We have a rare opportunity to reuse and restore vacant and abused land that can be the signature element of our community. Let’s not waste that opportunity.
Third, will we decide as a community to invest in our riverfront when the land is available?
We are five parcels and 188 acres away from ensuring a transformation of our riverfront and our community. Most of the property is immediately available, and a future-minded investment would boost Riverscape further toward reality.
Certainly this is a difficult time for our public agencies and their budgets. But it is also a time of rare opportunity. It is the perfect time for public agencies and private interests to work together to acquire this property and forever change the face of Terre Haute. This is the time to step forward and make this dream a reality. That may involve public dollars or private dollars, or a combination of both.
Action is needed now on all three fronts, and it calls for elected officials to work together with local volunteers to find creative solutions to real problems. It is a time for our city to pull together and commit to the best solutions, not the cheapest solution. It is a time to stand up and say that Terre Haute deserves a future better than its recent past. It is a time to say that we need to work to attract the right kind of new jobs for a 21st century economy and to maximize the opportunities presented by our growing education and health industries.
And it is time, once and for all, to erase all traces of the smells of the past that have so hindered our community in its progress. Rather than creating a new source of odor for our community, let us realize Riverscape’s huge promise of transforming our riverfront and the Wabash Valley forevermore.
If you agree, please let Mayor Bennett and members of the City Council know your opinion.
— John Mutchner, President, Wabash River Development & Beautification, Inc.
— Max Miller, Wabash River Development &
Beautification, Inc.
— Daniel Bradley, President, Indiana State University
— Matt Branam, President,
Rose-Hulman Institute
of Technology
— David Behrs, President, St. Mary-of-the-Woods College
