One of the attributes of an inclusive community is full access to resources for all citizens. In Fort Wayne, we know that one of those resources is the rivers. We didnt fully appreciate them for many years, but with the 2019 opening of Promenade Park many of us had greater access to those resources. AWS Foundation was proud to help just a little bit with that access.
It seems that other people agreed with the quality of that development. Late in August, it was announced that Promenade Park was named a winner of the 2021 Urban Land Institute Americas Award for Excellence. That transformation of those 4.5 acres helped us all realize that the rivers we cross every day were worth uncovering and exploring. We now see people of all abilities appreciating what attracted the early development of this region.
There is another community-wide program AWS Foundation is supporting that emphasizes the importance of preserving the access of the rivers for all citizens. CLEAN DRAINS Fort Wayne is a collaboration with Fort Wayne Utilities and Friends of the Rivers to limit pollutants and chemical runoff from entering storm drains. When allowed to enter storm drains, those pollutants and solid waste compromise the river environment and all those animals who rely on clean rivers including us!
This city-wide initiative involves creating art around storm drains to reinforce the message Be River SmART. While our office may not be on the downtown circuit, we were not going to miss the opportunity to decorate one of the two storm drains in our front parking lot!
Our rock star marketing partners at Ferguson made it a reality. Thanks to Bob Kiel and other skilled artist with Ferguson, we have an interactive display inviting you to be a part of the picture.
When visiting our office or just on your way past the building, I invite each of you to take a dive into this campaign. Please post your photos on social media and tag us to show your support for the three Fort Wayne Rivers for they are a valued and protected part of this inclusive community.