A canoe trip around the Marquette Park Lagoon was a popular activity for families
When nature calls, all hands in for Clean Water Celebration
Contributed By:The 411 News
Bringing awareness to northwest Indiana residents about protecting their lake and rivers
After hosting a workshop on how Gary uses green infrastructure to manage stormwater runoff and a visit to Chicago’s Field Museum to see how it helps sustain urban gardening, Gary’s Department of Environmental Affairs/Green Urbanism ended its 15th Annual Clean Water Celebration at Marquette Park on Saturday with its Clean Water Festival, a day for family fun.
And Saturday’s weather cooperated. It was a perfect day to showcase the park’s recreational assets and resources. Families were introduced to canoeing, kayaking, and fishing in the lagoon. The kid’s play zone featured a bounce house and volleyball net. All activities and food were free.
Bringing awareness to northwest Indiana residents about protecting coastal waters, especially its lake and rivers is one of the main focuses of the 3-day Clean Water Celebration, co-sponsored by Gary’s Storm Water Management District and supported by dozens of local partners. Their message, clean water for recreation and more importantly for the public’s health depends on everyone.
Participants in Thursday’s Green Infrastructure Workshop & Tour learned how the city is using rain gardens, a green infrastructure strategy to address stormwater runoff. On the former site of the Sheraton Hotel, next door to city hall, a rain garden captures rainfall to help replenish underground water tables instead of the rainfall channeling street debris into the storm sewers that eventually empty into Lake Michigan and the Calumet rivers. Rain gardens have been created in Aetna on vacant lots to alleviate flooding. A rain garden is being planned for Buchannan Street near the Indiana Toll Road exit.
On the second day, residents visited Chicago’s Field Museum and learned how the museum has integrated native plants into its urban farm and community garden.
Sigma Phi Omega, a chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, has volunteered at the Clean Water Festival for the past 5 years. Along with working the registration table, they watched over the KidZone, and setup a grill for hot dogs and burgers. “We do it as a way to give back to the community,” said chapter president Carisa Boatman.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Sigma Phi Omega Chapter members, l-r, Carisa Boatman, Lakesha Brown, and Enith Walters
Gary Parks Department employee Dolly Harris is in the canoe and ready to take her family on a trip around the Marquette Park Lagoon
Story Posted:06/25/2019
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