Current Projects

A River Runs Through It - Really Does

Milton J. Valencia, Herald News Staff Reporter, December 29, 2002

It was 20 years ago when Everett Castro first heard of attempts to resurrect the historic Quequechan River, yet it remains bottled up in tunnels below this city's roads, textile mills and downtown landmarks. It's a pattern of neglect that has polluted the river's history, Castro said. Still, he has new hopes for the Quequechan, with the recent release of an action plan and architectural sketch illustrating how the river can flow freely again through the heart of the city. It's the first master plan the city has had for the river's revitalization.

"There's always been the Let's try and restore the Quequechan, but it's never gotten that far," said Castro, of the local environmental group Green Futures.

"It's been covered up a long time," he said. "But this can help us.

"We need bold vision here." Castro stressed that this vision gained new momentum with the action plan, recently released by a state-hired architectural firm. It outlines ways the city can build public support and take gradual steps to revitalize the river and its corridor, similar to the renaissance on the Providence waterfront.

Mayor Edward Lambert Jr. stressed that an initiative to unearth the river from its tunnels below the Greater Fall River Chamber of Commerce and along Interstate 195 would need time and millions of dollars, saying Providence's renaissance was a 20-year project. The mayor also noted the state's deepening fiscal woes. He said a Fall River bike path project along the Quequechan River was listed under a state transportation improvement plan, but funding has been withheld as the state sorts out priorities in funding programs. The bike path project, with gateways from Rodman Street and Pleasant Street, among other spots along the waterfront, could be one of the first steps toward creating public support for increased investment in the river, the mayor said. He noted it is one of the first steps listed in the state action plan.

Lambert also pointed out the city has planted trees along sections of Brayton Avenue and Plymouth Avenue, as portions of the river run near those roadways. The tree-planting program is also one of the first steps listed in the action plan, under a "beautification" report. The mayor hopes the attempts to enhance the river's surroundings will lead to increased support and interest in the revitalization of the Quequechan. "You've got to dream first, create a vision first, and then you find a way to get it done," Lambert said, looking at a sketch of a waterfall where the Chamber of Commerce building is located on Pocasset Street. Nearby, there is a black and white photo of the waterfall in 1963, before the highway and Chamber building were built. "You have to start somewhere, and this (report) is a great step," Lambert said. "Once we start to do it, it will build upon itself and people will want to take it to the next level."

The action report was the result of a Urban River Visions program commissioned by the state Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, under a Community Preservation initiative. Goody, Clancy & Associates, a Boston-based architectural firm, hosted forums in seven urban communities throughout the state with rivers similar to Fall River's Quequechan. The public and local leaders were invited to offer ideas at each forum, and those suggestions were compiled in each action plan. The cities, Fall River included, can now apply for EOEA grants that allow communities to plan for recreation, as long as the direct attempt is to preserve and appreciate their rivers."People are drawn to the water," Doug Pizzi, of the EOEA, said when the forum was held a month ago. "It's time to bring people back to the water's edge."

The river plays a strong role in Fall River's history, and there are many tales stemming from Quequechan River, the Native American word for "falling water," from which Fall River got its name. Castro spoke of, among other stories, the "skeleton in armor," a tale of a soldier who died for the love of a woman and was found along the river's waterfront years later. And Castro and Lambert cited the river's role in generating energy for factories during the industrial and textile boom during the late 19th century.

Lambert said he'd like to incorporate a sense of pride in the river during the city's bicentennial celebration, to be held in the spring. "It's a great amenity to the city and we've ignored it for too long," Lambert said. "We need to treat the river better than we have."

Castro said there's no "written reason" to explain why the river was funneled through underground tunnels, but believes it's fair to say it was ignored after textile and industrial mills found new sources of power. He also said the river was polluted by the factories and nearby outhouses, and was considered a health concern. "Unfortunately, it was just thought of as a commodity to be used by early manufacturers," he said.

A part of the river was unearthed for a short time before the Interstate 195 highway was built. It was again buried, however, when Government Center plaza and the Chamber of Commerce were built. Most of the pictures of the river that remain today were taken at that time.

There are still parts of the river that see daylight, but it's through heavy bushes and neglected paths near an abandoned railroad track. The river can also be seen flowing out of the tunnel at the mills on the south of Anawan Street, near where it funnels into a cove at the Taunton River.

But over the last few years, Castro said, the focus on the Quequechan has mirrored a national focus to revitalize urban rivers, saying it can boost the local economy through its "tourist scenery." Major businesses and real estate agents would want to invest along the waterfront, Castro said, boosting Fall River's economy and quality of life.

One of the steps in the action plan is to boost public support, and Green Futures is working with other groups to hold community parties and "river appreciation" celebrations near the river, such as at Britland Park. The master plan cited the park as a possible place for a wooded preserve near the river.

Lambert said the city is considering a type of water fountain or other monument to memorialize the river, and it would be located outside Government Center, in the plaza built above the river.

He said he would like to boost public support by getting private investors involved, as a way to appreciate the river that fueled the economy for so long. "Fall River wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the river," Castro said. "It really made Fall River the 'number one' textile city in the late 1800's."

Lambert said he will appoint a committee to review the state action plan, and the city will apply for grants for feasibility studies, and to test the river's water quality. He said he will also be in touch with the Conservation Commission, to discuss ways to create walkways along the river. But the mayor stressed such projects take time, and need public support and patience.

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