OCCOQUAN, Va. – On Saturday, September 21, the Town of Occoquan will be holding its first Riverfront Rehabilitation Projects Day, timed to coincide with the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup Day. The centerpiece of the effort will feature residents, businesses, and nonprofits collaborating to improve the condition of the town’s waterfront. The event falls under the rubric of a larger community engagement effort recommended in the Strategic Plan recently adopted by the Town Council.
“One of the items suggested by our Strategic Planning Committee was that Occoquan develop a community engagement program to deepen the connections between residents and businesses, and foster a sense of ownership in town initiatives,” said Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta. “While the Town Council continues to work through the implementation details of the strategic plan, we felt there was no need to delay in proceeding with a variety of planned special events that readily fall within the scope of the community engagement recommendation.”
Activity on the 21st will feature collaboration among a variety of groups. The 501(c)(3) Prince William Trails and Streams Coalition (PWTSC) will be hosting a clean-up of the riverfront behind the Occoquan Historical Society’s Mill House Museum, removing debris and trash, improving the path to the shoreline, and segregating mill ruins that the town plans to officially designate as an active archaeological site. Patriot Scuba, located at 305 Mill Street, will be sending scuba divers into the water to clean-up the riverfront below and along the waterline. In conjunction with that effort, shop staff will provide family-friendly “Project Aware” information about underwater conservation. Vulcan Materials will also be participating by having its staff remove debris from their dock complex on the Fairfax County side of the river.
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