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Railyard Redevelopment
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Success Stories
Developing rail-trails and greenways requires the collaborative efforts of dedicated community groups and varying levels of government. The following success stories result from strong community partnerships and a diverse range of funding sources. While certain grant requirements do not include nonprofit organizations as eligible applicants, government bodies can sponsor or support grant applications for nonprofits. Although such partnerships should extend beyond funding searches, it is important for nonprofit organizations interested in brownfield, rail-trail, and greenway development to build relationships with local government officials and personnel. Government representatives may not have the time or desire to diligently pursue projects, but with the help of concerned citizen groups can mobilize to apply for grants and work toward a vision of safe, healthy, "livable" communities.
West Virginia:
The Greenbrier River Rail Trail and the Mon River/Decker's Creek Rail Trails are both recipients of Transportation Enhancement funds - Go to the National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse (NTEC) website to learn more about these West Virginia successes. (Search "West Virginia" under Project Examples).
Mon County/Decker's Creek is also a recipient of EPA Brownfields Assessment Funding in 2006 for a project complementary to the rail trail development.
Elkins has a fantastic railyard redevelopment story that has resulted in the revitalization of 24 downtown acres of contaminated land, the building of a new tourist rail line and bridge, a hotel, a theatre and much more. Read more here: Elkins Railyard Redevelopment Case.
Other States:
Nationwide, there are several successful stories of brownfield redevelopment incorporating rail-trails. The City of Marlborough, Massachusetts recently received an EPA clean-up grant to remove petroleum tanks on the future extension site of the Assabet River Rail Trail.
Importance of Collaboration:
Community groups and local governments work together to complete rail-trail projects. Partnerships and collaborative efforts formed to facilitate brownfields, rail-trail, and greenway development function as the foundation for successful development. The Woonasquatucket River Greenway Project is an excellent example of how the City of Providence, Rhode Island partnered with state and federal agencies and local community groups like Providence Plan and the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council to produce a multi-faceted strategy for creating an extensive greenway system. Funds for the project were contributed by federal, state, and local government entities including an EPA grant awarded to Providence as it was designated a Brownfields Showcase Community. The City and other nonprofit groups worked together to perform extensive community outreach, educating the public and collaborating with community members to produce a bi-lingual information packet addressing questions and concerns related to brownfield redevelopment and the purpose of the Project.
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