Vols Sought for Earth Day Task

Railyards Clean-up Planned

By WRILEY NELSON
ONEONTA

Otsego Now has issued a call for volunteers to clean up litter from the Oneonta Railyards at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19. “Wetlands not Wastelands” is co-sponsored by the Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful Campaign. The project is expected to take until 5 p.m., and volunteers may come and go as they choose.

The Railyards, an historic area and the focus of a major economic revitalization project, contains 27 acres of protected wetlands. Unfortunately, much of this critical ecosystem remains littered with trash. Gina Gardner, marketing and innovation and acceleration coordinator at Otsego Now, highlighted the threat this litter poses to wildlife and the community.

“When trash is left to decompose in the wetland, it can release harmful chemicals and bacteria into the water, increase the amount of microplastics, which can have negative effects on aquatic life, and make the water unsafe for human use,” Gardner explained. “We hope this effort will inspire individuals to go out and develop a more respectful and deeper relationship with our natural environment.”

Otsego Now has worked for several years to develop the Railyards as a modern mixed-use space and business park. The site is conveniently located along I-88 and rail lines, and has significant water and wastewater capacity. Otsego Now is working with the Ramboll engineering firm to evaluate the feasibility of a community-wide geothermal heating and cooling system. Individual commercial lots are under appraisal to establish firm sale prices.

Local residents are encouraged to help beautify the city, promote a vibrant ecosystem and enjoy some time outdoors with the entire community. Attendees should meet at the corner of Fonda Avenue and Roundhouse Road. Volunteers may register in advance by e-mailing ggardner@otsegonow.com, but registration is not mandatory. All tools and supplies will be provided by Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful.