YPSILANTI, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Huron River will get a facelift in Ypsilanti after a decision by city council to tear down the Peninsular Paper Dam.
The decision was cheered by environmentalists, among them the folks behind the Huron River Watershed Council.
“Ypsilanti voted for dam removal tonight,” wrote Laura Rubin, the HRWC executive director. “They are my river heroes!”
There was a push to remove the dam because options were limited, and environmentally, it made sense to remove the dam. In the past, dams were considered smart, green energy. Scientists now view dams as detrimental to the health of a river — re-routing the natural flow of water and changing the ecosystem along with it.
Those hoping to see the dam removed were helped by the cost breakdown. The Peninsular Dam no longer generates electricity — it hasn’t in years. It was also an estimated $800,000 to repair. While the removal cost comes with a price tag above $2.5 million; those in favor of removal noted that the repairs were a short-term fix and would need to be revisited as opposed to a one-time removal cost.
The move didn’t come without detractors. The Friends of Peninsular Park has long supported the natural beauty of the park, but didn’t want to see the dam removed. Members spoke out against the removal of the dam at previous meetings, but in the end the city council voted to remove the dam.
