These are the Eddy winners that were awarded Saturday night, April 24, at 7 p.m., at Fish and Fire.
Special Recognition
Paddy Blackman:
In 1983, when Paddy Blackman was President of the Jr. League of the Quad Cities, she launched the Year of the River. She loved spending time on the planning, activities, and on-the-water education programs. At that time, she decided to do what she could to bring access and development to the riverfront by serving 12 years on the Davenport Levee Improvement Commission. She fought the floodwall proposals in Moline and Davenport in the mid-80's and presented many programs on the floodplain management view. In 1985, she began the work and now is confident bike trails will extend the entire 60 miles on both sides of the river in the Quad Cities as well as from the headwaters to the gulf. She was responsible for the University of Iowa Hydraulics Lab report on the advisability of dredging Credit Island Slough as well as other Commission initiatives, and wrote the American Heritage Rivers application which was a year in the making. She encourages others to volunteer and keep the faith?"the riverfront is for you", she says. And thanks to Paddy, it's on its way back to being just that!
Clinton Marina:
The City of Clinton has made impressive gains in a tough economy, and is well positioned to seize riverfront development in the future. In 2009, assisted by an Iowa Great Places award and Vision Iowa designation, the city built a new marina with 96 slips, new fuel dock, a 2.75 sq foot floating amenities party deck, secured privacy gates and water and power to all boats. The marina building includes 9,770 square feet of finished space for a Ship's Store that has laundry facilities, men's and women's showers and washroom facilities, amenities all boaters need but seldom find at marinas. A restaurant with 6,680 sq ft includes a dining area, bar, room for 192 people to dine inside and deck seating for 100. One jury observed that many communities could learn from this full service marina, an example of how exquisite and careful attention to detail can push conventional design elements up a notch. Here to accept the award is Clinton Mayor Rodger Holm.
Revitalization
Rock Island Hydroelectric Plant
Quick. Name the building that has a dam on one side, a rail line on the other, and a river running through it. Still stumped? Try this two word clue. Rock River. Now you've got it. We're talking about the Rock Island Hydroelectric Plant. Situated on the Rock River where preservation and economic development blend beautifully in the recently acquired and restored plant formerly known as the Sears Powerhouse, purchased from White Hydropower Company in 2008, and now has a plant capacity of 1,200 kilowatts. Hydroelectricity is generated by the production of electrical power through the force of falling or flowing water and is the most widely used form of renewable energy. The City invested $2.2 million in the plant; today 95% of the of its revenue is earned by selling electricity to the largest city-owned uses such as the water and sewage treatment plants. The remainder is sold to Mid American Energy Company. This plan offers significant environmental benefits for everyone. City utility customers and taxpayers benefit directly due to lower costs for electricity to operate city facilities. The jury applauds Rock Island's helping the economy, boosting civic pride, and revitalizing an area on the water with the modernizing of the Hydroelectric Plant. Here to accept for the City of Rock Island is Mayor Dennis Pauley.
Stewardship:
Jerry Neff
You might say Jerry Neff is Conservation's Conscience in the Quad Cities, probably in Iowa, no, make it the United States, because when we first met him 20 years ago, he was flying off to Washington to lobby Congressman Jim Leach on tougher logging legislation in national forests. Since that time he has chaired local Sierra Club efforts, most recently a term as state president, worked on behalf of clean air initiatives, has installed a permeable driveway at his home, chops wood for his stove, and uses a no power lawnmower.
To Jerry Neff, everywhere is within walking, biking, or canoeing distance if you have the time. Cheerleader for stewardship, River Action, Living Lands and Waters, QC Cool Cities Initiative, and environmental values, he is the only person we know who has climbed to the top of a wind turbine! He is the spirit of an Eddy. Jerry is proof that spirit is more important than experience although by now, he has plenty of both!
Education:
Brian Ritter
As the naturalist for Nahant Marsh, Brian Ritter is responsible for explaining and celebrating the wetland's heritage and environment. He links students with teachers 12 months a year and in the past year, 5,000 students and teachers took part in his programs. This does not include the vast amount of outreach involved in going to schools and public events and reaching thousands more. He contributes to the resource management and restoration of the marsh, an especially difficult task following the 2008 summer flood. To this busy schedule, Brian has added the Western Illinois University and Eastern Iowa Community College District Natural Resources Management Track, an accelerated curriculum that prepares students for careers in outdoor recreation and natural resources management. As professor in this three year program, Brian exposes his students to a wide variety of learning environments, including classroom instruction, labs, fieldwork, and internship experiences. The 2010 jury is pleased to recognize the dedication and passion that Brian Ritter has exhibited in bringing together an education program of enormous complexity on the Mississippi River in the Quad Cities.
Design
Schwiebert Riverfront Park
A hallmark of this new project is the extensive public consultation that brought a major "buy-in" and feeling of community owenership. All RiverVision planning can boast record breaking community participation. The basic aim of Schwiebert Park was to expand this small city-owned space, previously a parking lot cut off from the community, keep the scale so that riverfront views are possible from 1st, 2nd and 3rd avenues, and expand the area for festivals, music venues, and year round visitors. Access will be by multiple modes, from car to bike, as well as boat.
A major accomplishment was to work through issues with the Armory, bridging differing views on land use, floodwall, and gate engineering. As well, funding Modern Woodman's parking restoration, open access from existing roadways, and further expanding park space were a part of the vision. Continuous steps for seating and an urban beach are unique elements of the design. The jury was impressed with the depth of planning for a riverfront previously cutoff from the river. The award for Design goes to the City of Rock Island for a top-quality urban waterfront park due to open the weekend of July 3rd.
Here to accept the award is Rock Island Mayor Dennis Pauley.
Art
Riverfront Pops
It's a sure sign of fall when the Quad City Symphony Orchestra holds its traditional Riverfront Pops concert. Highlights include families picnicking on the grounds and a fireworks and cannon finale. But while it seems it has been a must-do in the Quad Cities forever, it was begun in 1983 as a part of the Year of the River. Since that time, there have been numerous obstacles such as floods which have taken the concert from its usual venue to the grounds of Modern Woodman Stadium. Neither rain nor wind has caused the pops concert to be canceled. Everyone just puts up an umbrella! Each year, with a popular entertainer to headline the concert, it has brought well over 10,000 ticket buyers to the event. The Volunteers for Symphony with 90-100 members and the Board of Trustees are already planning the 28th annual concert. Here to accept the award for Art is Jared Johnson, Marketing Director of the Quad City Symphony.
River Activity
Sylvan Island Off Road Trails
The Friends of Off Road Cycling, or FORC, organized 13 years ago, has been a key player in helping revitalize Sylvan Island and making the island a top mountain bike trail in the U.S. It was recently listed in a national publication as a top ten urban mountain biking destination.
As well as designing trails, their energetic volunteers maintain them and their efforts have benefited Taming of the Slough. Their Mountain Biking 101 has introduced hundreds more to the sport. Because the soils on the island allow quick drying after rain, Sylvan Island is always the first venue for the I-74 Mountain Bike Race Series. The island was once home to a steel mill from which remnants can still be seen such as concrete loading docks, building foundations, and railroad tracks. These become unique trails that are fun yet challenging to ride. Sylvan Island Stampede attracts hundreds of racers and spectators to the Island which this year had a record 279 participants. Here to accept the Eddy Award for River Activity is Michael Frasier, three years President of Friends of Off Road Cycling.
