City of New Albany Files Lawsuit to Protect Historic Dam
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The City of New Albany has initiated legal proceedings against River Heritage Conservancy, Inc. (RHC)/Origin Park and Ecosystems Connections Institute, LLC (ECI) to prevent the removal of the historic Glenwood Park dam, also known as the Providence Mill dam, situated on Silver Creek.
Mayor Jeff Gahan emphasized the dam's importance in providing water supply for fish and wildlife, flood protection, and water levels for recreational opportunities.
“We will protect the functional, recreational, and historical value of this site,” stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. “Removing this dam can harm the functions that it currently serves, including providing water supply during times of drought and flood protection during periods of heavy rain. It will also hurt the recreation provided by the dam, reducing the number of days suitable for fishing, kayaking, and swimming. And finally, removal of the dam will hurt the historical value of the site, erasing the history of the people who used and still use this site today. The people of New Albany deserve to have input before a local site is destroyed by out-of-county entities.”
The lawsuit asserts the City's ownership rights and challenges River Heritage Conservancy (Origin Park) and Ecosystems Connections Institute's lack of necessary approvals and permits. Neither Origin Park nor Ecosystems has any ownership rights in the dam. The City expresses concern over the potential negative impacts on flood control, recreation, and historical value. Additionally, despite receiving millions of dollars in public funds, River Heritage and Origin Park have refused to engage with city officials on alternatives. If Origin Park removes the dam, it would cost nearly $2 million to replace.
“We are looking forward to resolving this issue for the residents, conservationists, sportsmen, and historic preservationists of New Albany,” stated City of New Albany’s Corporate Counsel Shane Gibson. “We were hopeful that Origin Park officials would sit down to discuss this with us, but since they have refused to meet, we must resolve this through the court of law.”
"We are taking this legal action to protect our community's functional, recreational, and historical assets," stated Mayor Jeff Gahan. "We have been joined by many local officials and partners in our efforts to protect a valuable city asset. Groups like our historic preservation officers at Indiana Landmarks, the Floyd County Historian, New Albany City Council members, and others have joined us in fighting against this unwelcome, out-of-city infringement on the taxpayers of New Albany.”
Further reading:
October 25, 2016 - City Announces Intentions to Develop Silver Creek Landing
