Wilmington officials break ground on wetlands project

  • 2019-10-31
State, federal, and city officials broke ground recently in Wilmington for a wetlands project.

Mayor Mike Purzycki was joined by such officials as John Carney, the governor of Delaware; U.S. Senator Chris Coons; Hanifa Shabazz, the president of the City Council; Michelle Harlee, a member of the district council; and Marie Reed, president of the Southbridge Civic Association to break ground for the South Wilmington Wetlands Park.

The project will cover 20 acres, and will create a facility to manage stormwater and at the same time reduce flooding, create a new recreational area, and restore existing wetlands. Altogether, it is expected to cost $25m.

Mayor Purzycki said the project is important for the city, and particularly for Southbridge community residents, and other areas in South Wilmington where flooding is a persistent problem. He acknowledges that the new wetlands will not solve all the city's problems, but it will mitigate many of them, and create a beautiful park as well.

The project includes restoring 14 acres of wetland that has degraded, to a freshwater, high-functioning, tidal wetland habitat, that includes a system of trails. The wetland project will offer new opportunities for recreation, thanks to a wide boardwalk that is ADA accessible, and runs through the heart of the project. The boardwalk will connect Southbridge with other parts of the city.

The wetland should be finished late in 2020. Flyer printing can be used to provide updates on projects like this.