Earlier this year, Wolverine completed excavation work at its former Tannery site in Rockford, and over the last several weeks we have been performing site restoration work. This has included placing and grading clean topsoil, re-seeding the banks of the Rogue River with native grasses and flowers, installing erosion control devices, and repaving the White Pine Trail (see pictures below). These activities are part of the remediation agreed upon by Wolverine and the EPA, and needed to protect Rogue River water quality and prevent possible shoreline erosion.
Wolverine is pleased to announce that this restoration work is nearing completion, and we anticipate reopening the White Pine Trail through the site by Friday, May 22. Between now and then, we will be completing additional erosion controls, performing final grading, and hydroseeding the area west of the trail. We will also be removing the crushed stone that was brought onto the site last year to construct access roads for the excavation work. This stone will be transported by truck to Wolverine’s House Street property over the next few days, where it will be staged for use in future construction projects like Plainfield Township’s municipal water extension.
We anticipate needing to close and re-route the White Pine Trail two more times this year for short periods. This first will be in late May or early June, when we anticipate supplementing the seeding along the riverbank with cuttings and plugs of similar native species. The second will be this fall, when we will be planting trees along the riverbank and trail.
We are committed to limiting the impact of these restoration activities on neighboring residents, surrounding businesses, and the community as a whole, and will continue to keep the community informed through regular updates on this blog, www.WeAreWolverine.com, and through information posted at kiosks and in other locations accessible to the public.
As always, residents with questions are encouraged to contact Wolverine directly at HouseStreet@wwwinc.com or (616) 866-5627.
