PWD’s Watersheds blog closes out the year with a list of 11 green missions accomplished in 2011, from innovative stormwater management projects and stream restorations to groundbreaking policy agreements and energy-generating solar arrays.
On Nov. 1, city officials broke ground on Venice Island in Manayunk, the site of a $46 million project whose main component is a large underground storage basin that will prevent stormwater runoff from entering the Schuylkill River. The basin has the capacity to store 4 million gallons of water, and some speculate that it could have prevented flooding near Main Street and Shurs Lane during Hurricane Irene. But there’s plenty more to be excited about, including the construction of a new performance arts center, a sprayground, and larger basketball courts. The hockey rink and 3,200-square-foot playground currently on the site will be replaced one-for-one.
For more information, check out our Venice Island web page.