Left, Greg Edwards, Gebbie Foundation CEO, discussion the potential to have boats travel from Chautauqua Lake down the Chadakoin River to the basin located near the Greater Jamestown Riverwalk and pedestrian bridges near Panzarella Island during a Riverfront Management Council meeting Tuesday. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

The future development of the Chadakoin River basin around Panzarella Island was the focus of city officials Tuesday.

During a Riverfront Management Council meeting, Greg Edwards, Gebbie Foundation CEO, discussed the potential of boats traveling from Chautauqua Lake down the Chadakoin River to the basin located around the Greater Jamestown Riverwalk and pedestrian bridges located behind the National Comedy Center.

Edwards said the project started last spring and summer when the Gebbie Foundation and the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency partnered to fund a bathymetric survey done by Twan Leenders, Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History president, of the water depth from McCrea Point Park to the Chadakoin River basin in downtown Jamestown. Leenders did a monthly analysis of the Chadakoin River water this spring and summer, and came to the conclusion that the water is navigable by the majority of watercraft. He said there are a few height limitations, mainly an old bridge near the Jamestown BPU, but said 80% of vessels could make it to the basin.

Following the bathymetric survey, the IDA and Gebbie Foundation officials produced a request for proposals to hire a business to develop a strategic business plan to bring the idea of attracting boaters off of Chautauqua Lake to downtown Jamestown. Edwards said C&S Companies engineering firm was hired to design the plan and the steps taken to potentially have boats from Chautauqua Lake navigate the Chadakoin River to the basin.

Edwards said city officials are also looking at other potential riverfront development projects like trying to find more appropriate businesses located along the river.

He said city officials have been in contact with the owners of Chautauqua Brick, Riverwalk Self Storage and Blackstone-Ney Ultrasonics to assist them in potentially finding new locations so more tourism-related business could be located along the riverfront.

In other business, the group also heard from Dan Stone, city arborist, who provided an update on the green infrastructure and water quality improvement projects happening in the basin around Panzarella Island.

There are four goals to the project: improve the water quality, enhance the aesthetics, create a habitat for the spiny soft shell turtles and educational outreach that will be coordinated by the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. One area of the project is to focus on the area around Panzarella Park and the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities parking lot. Stormwater boxes were installed to help collect the water runoff from the parking lot, which will help with the erosion problem.

Because there was a stagnate water zone between the island park and the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities parking lot, an ecological engineered wetland, included a floating planter, was created in the area to be more aesthetically pleasing. Also, concrete ramps were installed for the spiny soft shell turtles. Also, some riprap rocks was installed to help with erosion control.The project also include shoreline landscaping, new pervious paver seating areas and porous pavement walkways.

On Thursday, city officials also announced starting today part of the Riverwalk will be temporarily closed for construction work. The closure will affect both the north and south sides of the Riverwalk from North Main Street to Panzarella Island.

“There are a number of improvements that will be taking place at the same time that will require the path be shut down for safety reasons,” said Jeff Lehman, city public works director. “One is the Warner Dam Rehabilitation project by the state of New York Department of Environmental Conservation. The DEC will be making improvements to the dam over the next several months. We also have the Riverwalk green infrastructure & water quality improvements project ongoing. The contractor will be repaving a path on Panzarella Island, which will require us to close off access to that park. In addition, the plantings associated with the riverbank stabilization project will be taking place.”

The Warner Dam Rehabilitation project will be ongoing through spring of 2021. The green infrastructure and water quality improvements project is expected to be finished by the end of August.

Access to other parts of the Riverwalk east of North Main Street remain open as well as the sections west of the BPU.

For more information, contact the Department of Public Works at 483-7545.