PRESS RELEASE - Akron Waterways Renewed
Transcription
PRESS RELEASE - Akron Waterways Renewed
PRESS RELEASE City of Akron 166 S. High Street Akron, Room 200, Ohio 44308 Phone: (330) 375-2345 Fax: (330) 375-2468 Web: www.akronohio.gov For Immediate Release Contact: Stephanie York, Director of Communications [email protected] or 330-375-2345 (w) / 330-289-1467(c) ENVIRONMENTAL FESTIVAL WELCOMES FAMILIES TO FREE SCIENCE DAY OPEN HOUSE CELEBRATES RETURN OF BLUE HERONS Akron, Ohio (April 22, 2015) - Children with an aptitude for science and an interest in the environment can quench their thirst for water facts as the City of Akron welcomes families to a free open house at Akron’s Water Reclamation Facility in the Cuyahoga Valley, Saturday, May 9, from 10:00am to 2:00pm. Known to most residents as Akron’s sewage treatment plant, residents will get an upclose look at the workings of the place where the City’s sewage is tested, treated and returned to the Cuyahoga River. It’s also where a flock of blue herons have turned the City property into a rookery for more than a decade – a breeding place for heron families. The “Blue Heron Homecoming” is a day-long Environmental Festival featuring more than two dozen hands-on science demonstrations and activities for children; a trolley tour of the 1 Akron Water Reclamation Facility showing all the steps in the process of treating sewage; and a guided bus tour of the Blue Heron Rookery. Spotting scopes will be set up along Bath Road and rangers will be on-hand to discuss the Blue Herons. Visitors will also be able to come nose-to-nose with native animals from the Akron Zoo, and the Ohio EPA will display live fish representing different levels of pollution tolerance. The free Open House will be held at 2460 Akron-Peninsula Road, with parking available in nearby lots. Visitors will be shuttled to and from the plant in buses traveling a continuous loop. Vehicles may park at any one of the following locations: Todaro’s Party Center, 1820 Akron Peninsula Rd. Hampton Hills Metro Park, Akron-Peninsula Road, just north of Bath Road Botzum Trailhead, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, 2928 Riverview Rd The event recognizes the accomplishments of Akron’s wastewater treatment plant where over $300 million has been invested to improve the City’s sewer system since 1987. Along with the environmental exhibits, families can sign-up for a free tree as part of an Urban Canopy Tree Giveaway. There will also be tree seedlings available for free to take home and plant. Another giveaway will assist parents who have been using older mercury fever thermometers, who can exchange them for an environmentally-safe digital thermometer. Sponsors will offer free refreshments including hot dogs, beverages and snacks between 11am and 1:30 pm. Organizers are trying to make this a “zero-waste” event by using smart sustainable practices that will be instructional as well as functional. Summit ReWorks, the waste management agency, is assisting in this effort. AKRON STUDENTS COMPETE FOR PRIZES IN “WATER IS WORTH IT” CHALLENGE Students in Akron’s public, private and charter schools have been invited to attend the festival and share their ideas with the environmental experts. 2 The “Water Is Worth It” challenge is a contest for students, grades K-12, as individuals or as a group project. Entries may be artwork, coloring book designs, illustrations, games, photos, PDA apps or science-fair-type exhibits that highlight why clean water is important to the future of the community. For more information, contact Traci Buckner, Director, Specialty Programs, NIHF STEM, 330-761-7933, [email protected]. AKRON WATERWAYS RENEWED INITIATIVE Akron’s current Consent Decree requires a $1.4 billion dollar investment in the City’s environmental future, the largest single expenditure in its 189 year history, by remediating its combined sewer overflows. About 20% of Akron’s sewers were designed to carry both storm water and sanitary wastes in one pipe, and during a rain event, when the storm water contribution exceeds the capacity of the sewers, sewage overflows to streams or rivers. Akron’s Long Term Control Plan will improve the system by attempting to achieve zero untreated overflows in the typical year, improving water quality. SPONSORS AND PARTNERS MAKE FREE FESTIVAL POSSIBLE In addition to the City of Akron, other partners providing activities and exhibits for the festival include: Akron Public Schools Akron Zoo Cuyahoga River Restoration (CRR) Cuyahoga Valley National Park Friends of the Crooked River Global Water Alliance Great Lakes Biomimicry Hattie’s Garden Keep Akron Beautiful Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition Summit Metro Parks Summit Soil and Water Conservation District 3 Sponsors of the Open House and Blue Heron Homecoming include the CSO Project Management Team, made up of the principal consultants on the project: MWH Global, Hatch Mott MacDonald, G. Stephens, Inc. of Akron, and the following companies: Arcadis GPD MS Consultants HR Gray Emerald Environmental Services Inc Burgess & Niple Black & Veatch Thomarios Palmer Engineering Cosmos Technologies Inc C & K Industrial Services Inc CTI Engineers Inc Cardinal Group DLZ Ohio Hasenstab Architects CT Consultants Inc Enviro Science Inc Gannett Fleming Engineers & Architects Hazen and Sawyer GBC Design Inc HzW Environmental Consultants Environmental Design Group DL Bennet Company Partners Environmental Consulting For more information contact: Heather Bolestridge PMT Communications Team Manager Akron Waterways Renewed! CitiCenter Building 146 S. High Street, Suite 800 Akron, OH 44308 Office: (330) 375-2949 Ext. 4775 [email protected] Or visit our website: www.akronwaterwaysrenewed.com ### 4