Time to Rethink the City's Ogden River Project Grant Application

The hoped for $4 million proposed grant is not representative of a genuine effort to restore the river at all; its priority and guiding design is to accommodate someone's personal development project

By Bill C.

Since it seems to be another slow news day, allow me to digress.

If it were up to me, I would withdraw the grant application for the river restoration project. I would also charge the mayor with misappropriation of funds for the study done by the firm in Colorado. Why?

This grant is not representative of a genuine effort to restore the river at all; its priority and guiding design is to accommodate someone's personal development project. (We thought it was Gadi Leshem's, but he has since declared it not to be).

You may recall when Bobby Kennedy was hoodwinked and used at the American Can building, that we were told this was Gadi's effort, his development and his restoration firm. The presentation showed the restored river with condos and apartment buildings, as well as retail all crowded along it's banks. The design and presentation even went so far as to give the impression that Gadi owned and controlled the river itself, designated public fishing areas and a water feature that could be used for a small fee.

This grant and the study are in no way the byproduct of any effort towards the public good, but represent the interests of a private entity trying to get public money to fund their effort.

Knowing the properties will be scraped clear of all existing structures, I suggest the City Council commission a real study of a true restoration( all natural), with only the river itself in mind. The purpose to be to actually restore the river to it's pre-channelled natural healthy state. Then prepare a new grant application based on that with an ordinance that will insure no future encroachment from development.

This should in no way impede the progress of any future river development project, it only places the river's well being as the priority.

The way this thing has turned out seems very similar to how the mayor tried to twist transportation around in an effort to put $250,000 of public money into Chris Peterson's hands.

It's wrong and it's not too late to correct it.