Visitors to Buddy Attick Park saw their scenic Greenbelt Lake transformed into a construction site as workers started on repairs Friday, September 6, about two months after the expected start date due to delays in funding and approvals.
“We’ve been talking about it for a long time and now it’s imminent,” said Mayor Emmett Jordan at the June 17 meeting of the Greenbelt City Council. He stressed the importance of a public education campaign so that residents would know how long to expect the construction to last and understand the impacts it would have on the community.
One Greenbelt resident, however, was still surprised to see the bulldozers and excavators crowding the park and drowning out the buzz of bugs and birds on her stroll September 9. “It felt strange to come to the same place I come to and have it be altered,” said Barbara Bjanes, 72, who was displeased by the amount of dust on the coat of her beagle-hound mix, Jack. “I have developed a stronger tie to the lake and a deeper understanding of nature.”
Terri Hruby, director of planning and community development, explained these measures are necessary because of the consent order issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). A 2008 inspection deemed the dam a high hazard, which initiated the order in 2010.
Hruby admitted that she had hoped the repairs would have begun in July, but despite the setback, she remains confident of a seven-month construction period. KC Construction Company, known for its success in dam repair and maintenance, was approved by council to tackle the project under a $1.7 million contract.
Phase 1 of construction occurred in 2016, a process that Hruby described as fixing the drain pipe and valve of the lake. Phase 2, which is predicted to last until December 11, entails more invasive action. Hruby said KC Construction will move forward with draining the lake about 4 to 5 feet to install a chimney filter and toe drain, mechanisms used to deflect the flow of water from a certain area.
“Are we going to leave enough water in the lake to keep it from killing everything in the lake is what I’m concerned about,” said Councilmember Rodney Roberts at the meeting. He then suggested the use of portable dams rather than drastically altering the lake’s natural state. Bjanes also expressed worry for the well-being of Greenbelt Lake’s wildlife, especially the turtles, as her other pet is a rescued Eastern Box Turtle.
Another consideration was the project’s proposal to work with disadvantaged business-enterprise subcontractors in Maryland. Councilmember Colin Byrd cast doubt on the system of categorizing a firm as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE). Hruby responded that DBEs are classified as firms comprised of minorities or women that have been certified and accepted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
One citizen brought up the subject of pay. The man asked Hruby to verify that KC Construction would offer at least minimum wage to its employees. Hruby assured him that all contractors have to comply with city mandates which encompass compensation regulations.
Funding for the dam will come from the city, the State of Maryland and the EPA, reported the Greenbelt Weekly Roundup. In Fiscal Year 2017, voters supported the city’s loan-funding plans which would cost up to $2.5 million, according to Hruby’s memorandum. Greenbelt received a $285,000 capital grant as well that the city must match. Hruby said the MDE will provide additional financial support through the Water Quality Revolving Loan Fund.
Construction is scheduled to continue until March 2020, when the third and final phase is initiated. The Greenbelt Weekly Roundup warned citizens to expect construction noise and equipment, path closures and the lake’s recession in the meantime.