| In the 1930s and
'40s, the area along the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River known as
Money Point was home to fertilizer factories, creosote plants and other
facilities. Decades later, the Money Point waterfront in Chesapeake, VA
would be identified by environmental groups, research and governmental
agencies as one of the most highly polluted areas of the Elizabeth River. In
October of 2006, The Elizabeth River Project unveiled a 5-point action plan
to revitalize this area, along with mediators and architects from the
University of Virginia (UVa).
The Living River
Trust was established in 2004 (as the Elizabeth River Restoration Trust)
when the Norfolk District of the Corps of Engineers and the Virginia
Department of Environmental Quality, along with the Trust’s independent
board, reached agreement on operating guidelines. The Elizabeth River
Project helped set up the Trust and provides contracted support, as needed,
for start-up projects
The wide-ranging Money Point plan calls for
sediment cleanup offshore, cleanup and prevention of upland contamination,
restoration of wetlands, oyster and clam beds, enlisting all waterfront
industries as participating "River Stars" and Keepers of the Vision.
The Plan for Money Point not only
calls for cleaning up the contaminants but also for protecting the river
from future ground and water pollution. This holistic, landscape restoration
approach with its many partners from the community, industry, business,
government and environmental groups has been recognized with the 2007
Environmental
Design Research Association (EDRA) Places, Planning Award
As
explained on the Environmental Design and Research Association Web site,
EDRA and Places journal’s annual award program recognizes good places
and how people inhabit them. Awards are offered in planning, design, and
design research. EDRA/Places
Awards recognize projects whose
significance extends beyond any one profession or field. These awards
emphasize a link between research and practice and demonstrate how a careful
understanding of people and their interactions with places, can inspire
design.
Among the winning attributes, the jury
praised the project for its unique effort to obtain support from
partners in government, industry, and the local community.
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