Danville to approve plans on Tuesday to buy land for whitewater channel from Industrial Development Authority – Cardinal News

Danville Whitewater Channel Project: A Case Study in Sustainable Urban Redevelopment

Executive Summary

The City of Danville is advancing its comprehensive riverfront revitalization strategy through the planned acquisition of a 6.87-acre parcel for the development of a whitewater channel. This initiative, funded in part by a grant from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, is a multi-faceted project designed to stimulate economic growth, enhance public well-being, and preserve local heritage. The project demonstrates a strong alignment with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning sustainable cities, economic growth, resilient infrastructure, and environmental conservation.

Project Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The whitewater channel project is a cornerstone of Danville’s effort to create a more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable urban environment. Its primary objectives are to:

• Enhance Quality of Life: By creating new public recreational facilities, the project directly contributes to the well-being of residents.
• Promote Public Access to Green and Blue Spaces: The development along the Dan River expands public access to natural waterfront areas, a key target of SDG 11.
• Safeguard Cultural and Natural Heritage: The project innovatively repurposes the historic Danville Canal, which was recently approved for a state highway marker, thereby preserving a significant piece of the city’s industrial heritage for modern use.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

This initiative is a strategic investment aimed at fostering sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth. It builds upon the success of the River District revitalization, which has already demonstrated significant commercial and residential growth.

1. Economic Diversification: The project aims to capitalize on the Dan River as a driver for tourism and recreation, diversifying the local economy beyond its historical industrial base.
2. Job Creation: The construction phase, estimated to last 18-24 months, and the subsequent operation of the recreational and training facility are expected to generate employment opportunities.
3. Support for Local Economy: The influx of visitors and the enhanced appeal of the riverfront are projected to boost local businesses, contributing to a vibrant local economy.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The development represents an investment in building resilient and innovative infrastructure.

• Infrastructure Modernization: The project involves the creation of a 2,000-foot channel, a significant piece of new recreational infrastructure.
• Adaptive Reuse: The project is an exemplary model of adaptive reuse, transforming a remnant of a historic canal and a former industrial site into a modern asset. This approach is synergistic with other local projects, such as the rehabilitation of the Dan River Falls textile mill.
• Dual-Use Facility: The channel’s design as both a recreational amenity and a first-responder training facility demonstrates innovative, multi-purpose infrastructure planning.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The project’s execution relies on a robust multi-stakeholder partnership, embodying the collaborative spirit of SDG 17.

1. Public-Public Partnership: The transaction involves the City of Danville purchasing land from its own Industrial Development Authority (IDA), a proven model for strategic redevelopment within the city.
2. Inter-Governmental Cooperation: Funding from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation highlights a successful partnership between local and state government entities to achieve shared conservation and recreation goals.

Project Details and Governance

Land Acquisition and History

• Transaction: The City of Danville intends to purchase the 6.87-acre parcel from the Danville Industrial Development Authority (IDA) for $1.2 million, plus closing costs.
• IDA’s Role: The IDA acquired the property in 2017, continuing its decade-long strategy of purchasing and marketing key properties to spur revitalization in the River District.
• Property History: The land was previously part of the textile company that was central to Danville’s economy for decades, linking the city’s past to its future development.

Timeline and Next Steps

• Approval: The IDA is scheduled to consider the sale at its upcoming meeting.
• Construction: While a definitive start date has not been set, the construction period is estimated to be between 18 and 24 months once initiated.
• Regional Governance: Several related commissions and authorities, including the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facilities Authority and the River District Design Commission, have meetings scheduled, indicating ongoing oversight and regional coordination for development projects.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article explicitly states that the riverfront projects, including the whitewater channel, are an “effort to capitalize on its stretch of the Dan River to enhance quality of life and boost economic growth.” This directly aligns with the goal of promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The project is a core component of urban revitalization in Danville’s River District. The article mentions the city’s broader strategy to revitalize the area, which has led to “residential and commercial growth.” The creation of public recreational spaces like the whitewater channel and the riverfront park contributes to making the city more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  While not focused on water quality directly, the project involves the development and sustainable management of a water-related ecosystem (the Dan River). By repurposing an industrial riverfront and creating a recreational channel, the city is investing in the protection and sustainable use of its primary water resource.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  The project concerns the sustainable use of an inland freshwater ecosystem. The development along the Dan River, converting a former industrial site into a recreational and natural area, relates to the goal of protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 8.9: Promote sustainable tourism

   The article describes the whitewater channel as a “source of recreation” designed to “boost economic growth.” This is a clear example of devising and implementing policies and projects to promote sustainable tourism that creates local economic benefits.

2. Target 11.4: Protect and safeguard cultural and natural heritage

   The project plans to create the whitewater channel from the “remaining historic Danville Canal,” a site recently approved for a state highway marker. This demonstrates an effort to protect and integrate the city’s cultural and historical heritage into its modern development plans.

3. Target 11.7: Provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces

   The development of the whitewater channel and the adjacent “riverfront park” is a direct action to create new public spaces for recreation and community enjoyment, thereby enhancing the quality of life for residents.

4. Target 6.6: Protect and restore water-related ecosystems

   The entire initiative is centered on the Dan River. By purchasing and developing the 6.87-acre parcel along the river, the city is actively engaging in the management and restoration of this water-related ecosystem for community and environmental benefit.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, several quantitative and qualitative indicators are mentioned or can be implied from the article:

• Financial Investment in Sustainable Tourism (Target 8.9)

  The plan to purchase the parcel for “$1.2 million” serves as a direct financial indicator of the investment being made in tourism and recreational infrastructure.

• Area of Public Green Space Created (Target 11.7)

  The size of the land parcel, “6.87-acre,” is a specific indicator of the amount of new public and green space being added to the city for recreational use.

• Scale of Ecosystem Restoration/Development (Target 6.6)

  The planned length of the whitewater channel, “about 2,000 feet long,” is a quantitative measure of the extent of the riverfront development and ecosystem management project.

• Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites (Target 11.4)

  The integration of the “historic Danville Canal” into the project serves as a qualitative indicator of progress. The fact that it was “recently approved for a state highway marker” further quantifies this as one protected heritage site.

• Economic Impact (Target 8.9)

  The article implies an indicator of success by mentioning that past revitalization efforts in the River District have resulted in “residential and commercial growth,” suggesting that similar metrics will be used to evaluate this new project.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cardinalnews.org