August 26, 2005

Purdue class to spruce up Wabash River Corridor

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Landscape architecture design students from Purdue University will work with government officials on a new service-learning project to explore opportunities presented by the Wabash River, one the most important natural features of Lafayette-West Lafayette.

The students and their professor, Purdue service-learning faculty fellow Kim Wilson, will meet with the Wabash River Enhancement Corporation board at 4:30 p.m. Monday (Aug. 29) at the Big Four Depot, 200 N. 2nd St., Lafayette, to discuss the urban design project.

"This project is exciting on a number of different levels," said Stan Lambert, Wabash River Enhancement Corporation executive director. "This collaborative approach is rare in the public sector, and definitely breaks new ground in Indiana. Three local governments are working closely together to bring their combined resources to this project. Purdue, a major university that emphasizes collaboration, focuses on cutting edge technology and brings a multidisciplinary approach, also is committed to seeing a significant improvement in the quality of life along the Wabash River Corridor."

Purdue's new Center for the Environment in Discovery Park will lend faculty support to the project. Beth Grigsby, Purdue's Brownfields Outreach Coordinator, also will work with the corporation and the Greater Lafayette Community Development Corporation to identify contaminated pieces of abandoned land located within the corridor.

Wilson said her class is eager to begin the fall semester project.

"My students truly enjoy taking the skills they have gained in the classroom and a year-long internship to make a tangible difference in the community," Wilson said. "They are energized, focused and ready to go."

Wilson has received numerous awards for nearly 20 past class projects involving landscape architecture design. Projects have ranged from a revitalization plan for Michigan Avenue in Chicago to redevelopment plans for South Eighth Street and the Ellsworth-Romig Historic Neighborhood in Lafayette and community plans in Puerto Rico and Ecuador.

The Wabash River Enhancement Corporation is a nonprofit agency that was created to coordinate efforts to improve the Wabash River Corridor. Created in 2004 by Purdue, Lafayette, West Lafayette and Tippecanoe County, it received initial funding through a $500,000 North Central Health Services grant. Vision 2020 identified the Wabash River as a major focus for long-term cooperative action to achieve sustainable development and natural preservation.   

Writer: Marydell Forbes, (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu

Sources: Stan Lambert, (765) 420-8505, slambert@Lafayette.in.gov

Kim Wilson, (765) 494-1308, kwilson@purdue.edu

Beth Grigsby, (765) 494-3449, bgrigsby2@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Related Web site:
Purdue University Office of Engagement

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