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Assunpink Creek:
Restoration of a Waterway in Trenton, a Postindustrial City
The Assunpink Creek watershed bisects the former industrial city of Trenton, New Jersey. However, due to economic hardships the creek is mostly a neglected waterway within Trenton City limits. Ever since the end of its industrial heyday, Trenton has faced numerous problems evolving into a cleaner, healthier city. The industrial complexes that once were common in the city limits are, in most cases, abandoned brownfields. However, the city administration has made steps towards recovery. Public programs such as Green Acres, the US Economic Development Administration, and private donors like the Wachovia Foundation, along with others have donated to Trenton’s recovery. Currently the city has budgeted millions of dollars in state funds and private grants to remediate environmentally problematic areas in Trenton, and its money has not gone to waste. Very recently, a recovery plan to reconstruct the major downtown area has been created, including recreating the riparian zones of the Assunpink, as well as uncovering the box culvert that plagues the stream. According to the visuals depicted in the master plan, a large greenway containing natural areas, parks, and playing fields is to be built in place of an industrial sector. Despite the many problems that lie ahead, the outlook is hopeful. In the short term, funds are plentiful and there is initiative. The plans are in place, contracts are being signed, and work is being done. However, in the long term, money may be scarce, and the excitement that initially started the project may dwindle in the future. This is indeed not a small project and it will take many years to accomplish, but with these plans in place, the Assunpink Creek will hopefully become a more environmentally sound place that aids in the recovery of this post industrial city, while also giving citizens somewhere to rest and unwind.
