Turning February GREEN

Memphians with an interest in parks, public spaces, historic sites, neighborhoods, waterways, smart growth, biking and hiking trails, health and recreation, and smart growth are all coming together to turn February in Memphis GREEN. There are two important events you will want to attend: Greening Greater Memphis on Feb. 8 and Charles Jordan on Feb. 10. Friends for Our Riverfront is pleased to be part of this exciting community-based effort.


On Feb. 8, things will kick-off at the Botanic Garden with the Greater Greening Memphis meeting. This is an important opportunity to show community support for parks, neighborhoods, and greenways County-wide. The meeting is being hosted by Carol Coletta with respected urban planner Alex Garvin as the keynote speaker.

No city can boast assets that outshine the downtown riverfront, the unspoiled Wolf River, the former CSX rail line being converted to trails, the classic grand Overton Park, and the spectacular recreational Shelby Farms Park. Mr. Garvin, consultant to the Shelby Farms Park Master Planning Committee, says, “In Shelby County, TN, the green infrastructure exists to create one of the finest park and greenway systems in the country.”

This is a chance to voice your support. Friends for Our Riverfront with Outdoors Inc., Community Fdn., and the RDC is sponsoring the program. It is being presented by Shelby Farms Park Alliance, Wolf River Conservancy, and Greater Memphis Greenline in partnership with Leadership Memphis, Smart City, and Sierra Club. Click here for more information.


Then on Feb. 10 at 10 a.m. at the Memphis College of Art auditorium in Overton Park, Charles Jordan, one of America’s most visionary experts on parks and public spaces, will speak on “Renewing our Cities, Restoring our Parks” - the vital role parks can play in reducing crime, supporting education, encouraging economic prosperity, and building a sense of pride and unity in our community.

We are in for a treat. Mr. Jordan is a dynamic speaker and compelling advocate. He rose to prominence as City Commissioner and then Director of Parks and Recreation in Portland, Oregon, where he was recognized by the Chicago Tribune as creating one of the "most progressive park systems in this country". He is currently Chairman of the Conservation Fund, America’s national land trust, which has protected 5.4 million acres of public spaces across America.

The coffee and lecture, second in a series of "A Visionary Speaks" presented by Friends for Our Riverfront, is sponsored by The Crawford-Howard Family Foundation with Healthy Memphis Common Table, Memphis Community Development Partnership, National Civil Rights Museum, Park Friends, Public Issues Forum, and Sierra Club. The first speaker in the series was Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina.

County Mayor A C Wharton, a catalyst for parks and greenways in our own community, will introduce Mr. Jordan. The event is free and is part of Black History Month.

For further information about Mr. Jordan and the event, go to http://www.friendsforourriverfront.org/2007/01/visionary-speaks.html

YOU can play an important role in turning Memphis GREEN, and we hope you will join us for these two important events on Feb. 8th and Feb. 10th. It’s an opportunity to make a difference in the future of our city. Hope you can come.

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A Visionary Speaks

Charles Jordan to Speak in Memphis

We're in for a treat - February 10

Widely acclaimed as one of America’s most visionary experts on parks and public spaces, Charles Jordan served as Director of Parks in Portland, Oregon for more than two decades and is today Chairman of The Conservation Fund.

He brings a winning solution on how to make cities safer, healthier, more prosperous and more livable.

Saturday, February 10
10 AM
Memphis College of Art Auditorium in Overton Park

Mr. Jordan will be introduced by Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton, a catalyst for parks and greenways in our community. Admission is free.

The coffee and lecture is sponsored by The Crawford-Howard Family Foundation

and presented by




Friends for Our Riverfront, Healthy Memphis Common Table, Memphis Community Development Partnership, National Civil Rights Museum, Park Friends, Public Issues Forum, and Sierra Club.

Mr. Jordan speaks from a depth of experience and a proven track record.

* He is currently Chairman of The Conservation Fund, America’s national land trust, which has protected 5.4 million acres of wildlife habitat, wetlands, river corridors, forests, and historic sites across America. In Tennessee, The Conservation Fund is involved with the following programs: Appalachian Trail Corridor, Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, Cumberland Trail State Park, Duck River Restoration, and the Great Smoky Mountains. The Conservation Fund is also involved in protecting the Mississippi River Corridor.

* He rose to prominence as City Commissioner and then Director of Parks and Recreation in Portland, Oregon, where he was recognized by the Chicago Tribune as creating one of the "most progressive park systems in this country."

* He was appointed by President Reagan to the President’s Commission on Americans Outdoors and by President Clinton as advisor to the American Heritage Rivers Program. He has also served on the National Park System Advisory Board and the National Forest Foundation Board.

* He is a compelling advocate and the most prominent voice in expanding the national constituency for conservation by recruiting new leaders and greater involvement from minority and low income communities.


Mr. Jordan is the second in a series of "A Visionary Speaks" presented by Friends for Our Riverfront. The first speaker was Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. For more information, phone Heathie Colvett at 458-4061.

For more information on Mr. Jordan, go to
Biography
Ask the Expert

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Our "River Rat" on the record

John Gary contributed an essay to the Commercial Appeal's recent series on the Mississipppi River. From it, you can savour the long-time river rat's love of the River and his hope for its future. It's reprinted here for your enjoyment. John Gary is Vice-President of Friends for Our Riverfront.

Power of the Mississippi extends deep and wide
By John Gary
Special to The Commercial Appeal
December 31, 2006

The Mississippi River and I were already well acquainted when Mark Twain reintroduced us in the 8th grade. My father passed his lifelong love of the river on to me, and as a young boy, the river was where I really seemed to shine.

Now, nearly 40 years later, I am still enthusiastic about the opportunities available by having one of the world's most spectacular natural attractions at the front doorstep of our city. It provides a welcome reprieve from the grindstone that consumes our lives. It offers an opportunity for regeneration, camaraderie and solitude that is becoming harder to find in our fast-paced world.



Growing up on the river gave me a perspective outside my socio-economic caste, and gave me the nerve to work on a towboat right out of high school. People on the river tend to respect and pay attention to others without regard to who they are related to or where they went to school; instead, their value system is based on an individual's knowledge and respect of the river. River people will do extraordinary things for each other that would never occur in similar circumstances just "up the hill," such as taking an extra three hours out of an afternoon to give a stranded boater a tow back to the marina. This is the code of the river: Whether at work or play, you never pass someone in distress without trying to help.

Even though you may only be minutes away from Downtown Memphis, being on the Mississippi River for any length of time tends to give a person the same sort of perspective he might gain having gone deep into the wilderness. You tend to pay closer attention to your surroundings, and your hearing sharpens and your eyes will catch things way off in the distance that you would have never noticed on land or even out on a lake. If you spend much time on the river you take safety seriously: you pay attention to the weather and the river stage, and make sure that you have plenty of fuel, water, matches, etc. You will find great pleasure in becoming more self-reliant.

The river allows you to see lots of things differently; not just buoys, birds and fish. It is a giant laboratory with every science on display. You cannot help but be amazed as you learn about how it all works. You can witness the direct impact that storm water runoff has on our natural resources, and will make you think twice about what you put down your drain.

The power of the river is truly extraordinary -- it extends from deep down below the surface of the water to a mile above, and well beyond its banks. There is plenty of evidence that the river influences our weather, and certainly it has an impact on real estate prices within sight of it. If just looking at the river from your office or Tom Lee Park can give you a moment's respite, just imagine the restorative power that comes from being on the river itself away from the sights and sounds, and yes the smells, of the city -- even if for just a few hours. I can tell you from my own experience that it never fails to send a chill up my spine when I find myself pointed upstream in the middle of the Mississippi River just below the "Big M" bridge.

Whether the Mississippi River has enough to offer you to offset the initial time and expense required, and the risks, both real and imagined, is subjective. What I've seen with many "new" river people is a sense of adventure and accomplishment that's readily available at your doorstep. You don't need a brand new houseboat to start. All you need is a friend with a boat and a mutual sense of adventure. What you'll find is certain to amaze you.

My father's greatest gift to me was passing along his knowledge and passion for the river. This week, as I celebrate the birth of my new son, I hope I'll instill in him this same passion for river-related learning and adventure that has benefited every aspect of my life.

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