Raising Fifth Ward
The January 2018 flood in Fifth Ward, Meadville, PA. Photo courtesy of Shannon Roae, Meadville Tribune.
Read the Final Report:
ENVSC585. JUNIOR SEMINAR IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Professor Eric Pallant,
Allegheny College, Meadville, PA 16335
Fall 2018
Time: Monday 1:30-2:20; Wednesday 1:30 - 4:20
Location: Room 141 Carr Hall
Course Objective: Meadville's Fifth Ward is one of the city's poorer neighborhoods. Located between the west bank of French Creek and east bank of Cussewago Creek, nearly every part of Fifth Ward is subject to regular flooding (see accompanying map.) In addition to swampy backyards (and front yards and basements and first floors), Fifth Ward is far from jobs, retail, or grocery stores. It includes two trailer parks, some well-maintained owner-occupied homes, rental properties in need of maintenance, and an exceptional number of properties whose owners are no longer paying their taxes. Several foreclosed properties no longer even have houses on them.
The areas on the map outlined in yellow are vacant properties now managed by the City of Meadville at an annual cost of $2,205 ($640 for the large fields on Columbia Avenue.) Our question:
"HOW CAN MEADVILLE SAVE MONEY AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE IN FIFTH WARD?"