Brownfield transformed: Sylvan Slough Natural Area retains the rain

So, that thing I saw in Rock Island:



Clearly it was no abandoned industrial ruin, but neither was it a lovingly restored industrial ruin. Yet it had been planted all about with loving care as though for some kind of nature park. What was this thing?

There were interpretive panels everywhere, but they only deepened the mystery:

Okay, rainwater retention is important and native prairie restoration is nice, but what's going on here? What is the connection between River Action's Retain the Rain program and whatever that building used to be?

I finally wandered over to this panel:

Suddenly things began to click: This was formerly a heavily polluted industrial site, now transformed into a rain garden. The parts of the complex that were still architecturally sound had been preserved and even repaired in some spots; other parts had been carefully dismantled and put to new use.

"THIS IS SO COOL!!!"

I actually said that aloud. Loud enough, in fact, that a flock of waterfowl (pelicans? perhaps?) some dozen yards away on the river scattered in a flutter of wings, and a woman on the trail with a pair of binoculars turned and glared at me.

"Sorry!"

My goodness, how did they do this? I must learn more! How long did it take? How much did it cost? Can you imagine just the sheer amount of dedication it must have required?

I wandered around the site in search of something explaining more about its history, or at least a good starting point for a Web search. I finally found a plaque bearing a name:

When I returned home the following evening I went online almost immediately:
Sylvan Slough Natural Area

"It took seven years for the City of Rock Island to transform a blighted industrial property on the Mississippi River into a unique demonstration area for Retain the Rain, a program of not-for-profit organization River Action. The Natural Area incorporates native plantings, bioswails, permeable paving and other initiatives designed to educate the public about reduction of storm water runoff.

"Buildings were surgically deconstructed to form the architectural features of the natural area and to reincorporate salvaged material into the landscape. Materials suitable for reuse onsite were separated from materials hauled to a landfill. Brick was ground up and used as permeable paths, and precast panels were removed intact to be used as risers and walkways.

"The Natural Area is adjacent to the Great River Recreational Trail and offers views of the historic Sylvan Island, Arsenal Island and the Arsenal Power Dam. Interpretive signage describes water retention features of the Natural Area, the innovative method used to clean up contaminated soils on the site, the history of Sylvan Slough and the building of the power dams."

It won a 2008 Eddy Award from River Action:
"The Eddy Awards recognize individuals and organizations that went 'against the current' to get things done and accomplish well-designed and environmentally responsible riverfront activities or developments.
...
Revitalization: Sylvan Slough Natural Area
"Over all, the jury found that the ecological design approach to be so good that it could serve as a model for other communities wanting to initiate best stormwater practices within a natural area park.

"A hallmark of the program is the oversight of the Community and Economic Development Department. Sally Heffernan administered IL EPA and DNR grants that began the razing the buildings and brownfield cleanup. Engineering techniques and native plant selections were provided by Conservation Design Forum.

"The plan, at once wide-ranging, comprehensive in scope, and ambitious, includes environmental restoration, the saving of some of the buildings’ important architectural elements, solar powered lighting, and reuse of salvaged building materials that are now part of an extensive walkway system and a wayfinding system that interprets and entertains. A public-private partnership with River Action for funding, planting and weed control is ongoing.

"The heart of the Sylvan Slough Natural Area restoration is the broad expanse of prairie plantings and the drainage system that nurtures wetlands naturally."

Even cooler! Let's do this with Lake Calumet! Right now! But I digress. Further poking around online turned up a whole slough (ha ha) of articles. Here they are in approximate chronological order:
Brownfields 2003 Grant Fact Sheet: Rock Island, IL (US EPA, 2003 June)
Building on Brownfields (River Cities' Reader, 2003 July 15)
Moline's Trailhead Park will offer access to revitalized Sylvan Island (Quad-Cities Online, 2005)
Soil Treatment to Begin on Future Park in Sylvan Slough (River Cities' Reader, 2005 March 1)
Upper Mississippi River News: Busy QC Riverfront (Big River, 2005 May-June)
Q-C grows greener (Quad-City Business Journal, 2007 August 1)
Old Farmall coming down (Quad-City Times, 2007 December 19)
Being green: Mayor leads Rock Island toward sustainability (Radish, 2007 December 20)

Geek out.