Slater Mill plans to hold a press event to announce the launch of the Waterway Restoration Project and two Federal awards: $300,000 Save America’s Treasures grant supported by Senator Jack Reed and $194,000 appropriation sponsored by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. The funding is part of a $1 million dollar initiative to restore and improve the Slater Mill building, rebuild its Waterway and educate the public about the past and future of green energy.
}}turbinebeingdismantled}}Save America’s Treasures funds will be used to protect the Mill against the threats of flood, fire and decay by repairing and restoring the Mill’s headrace and waterworks, dredging, masonry repair and by updating and expanding the fire suppression system. These improvements will also enhance the landscaping along the riverfront and create greater visitor access to the river.
2010 Federal funding secured by Senator Whitehouse will allow the Mill to restore two 18th century turbines and rehabilitate one in order to generate hydropower from the Blackstone River, providing some off-the-grid heat and electricity to the building. These turbines ran machinery in the mill until the early 20th century and represent the second generation of hydropower technology that superseded waterwheels. Preservation of the two turbines underneath the Mill is essential so that we may save these artifacts that once enabled manufacturers to harness the river.
The restoration of these turbines will be the cornerstone of new exhibitry that will educate 40,000 annual visitors, half of whom are schoolchildren, about the history of Rhode Island ingenuity and innovation, the power of the river, and the future of green energy. This exhibitry will also include the future fish passage, which will be built on the other side of the Slater Mill Dam over the next two years.
This initiative will provide economic, environmental, educational, and cultural benefits for all of Rhode Island and the surrounding region, according to Janice Kissinger of Slater Mill. Jobs will be preserved, new jobs created, and the many benefits of the project will be felt by Pawtucket and Rhode Island long into the future.
Additional funding for the project has come from the Ida Ballou Littlefield Memorial Trust, The Champlin Foundations, the City of Pawtucket and the Community Development Block Grant, along with individual donors and private foundations.
The Press Conference will be held at Slater Mill, 67 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket RI on Monday, March 8, 2010 at 10:00am. Speakers to include Senator Whitehouse; Congressman Kennedy; Mayor James Doyle; Allen Chatterton III, Slater Mill Board President; and Janice Kissinger, Director, Community Guild Studios.
For further information, contact Jane Rosenbaum, Capital Projects Manager at jrosenbaum@slatermill.org or 401-725-8638.