Canton - The industrial age was not good to the Taunton and Neponset River watersheds.
Dams, invasive species, aging sewerage systems, decrepit industrial facilities, and chemical contamination have all taken a toll on the rivers.
The factories that grew up along riverbanks in the middle of the last century discharged heavy pollution into the waterways, causing homeowners and developers to deviate away from the river.
But that appears to be changing. According to two local environmental organizations keeping an eye on the two rivers, the future is much brighter than the past.
"Things were so bad for so long," said Ian Cooke, Executive Director of the Neponset River Watershed Association, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. "The last 10 or 15 years, the river is getting cleaner and people are recognizing it as a visual amenity."
Developers today are looking at old factory sites as spots to redevelop land for mixed-use projects, including the proposed Paul Revere Commons in Canton planned for a parcel of land previously owned by Plymouth Rubber. The new owner, Napleton Company, is looking to turn the decaying 39-acre site into a residential complex, with small boutique-style retail venues. The finished product would showcase the river. The Neponset River watershed spans 14 towns and 130 square miles, from Foxboro to Boston Harbor. The watershed association is a nonprofit organization that works to protect and restore the watershed through monitoring, research and planning.
"The river really should be an asset," said Carolyn LaMarre, Executive Director of the Taunton River Watershed Alliance, a non-profit group dedicated to protecting and restoring the Taunton River Watershed.
The Taunton River flows through the cities of Taunton, Brockton and Fall River. Keeping it clean and visually appealing has been a challenge for the alliance. But new interest by developers shows promise for the waterway.
Builders are being drawn to the sites that once were home to silver factories on the Taunton River banks. LaMarre mentioned Robertson on the River-a mixed-use redevelopment of a historic mill in Taunton-as one example of the river's come back.
Full Story: http://www.wickedlocal.com/canton/news/x292022300