A Rich River Equals A Rich City

By Author: Victor Kaiser
Total Articles: 12
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In the world's history, cities that lived by a body of water was the fastest to thrive. It is easy to explain. First, food was easy to find in waters. Second, trading posts are immediately operational as soon as ships from some other cities dock. Third and most importantly, where there is an easy access to water, there is a comfortable way to live - people and other living beings are not willing to live the inconvenience and hostility of a dry place. All that being said, it becomes easy to learn that where there are people, there is business, and where there is business, there is money. Hence, it is easier to grow a city by a body of water.

Now that everything is modern, and role that rivers play have changed, one thing has remained constant - it is still easier to build a city by a body of water. However, rivers of today's industrialized world are not that conducive anymore for food hunt. A river that has been treated as an open dumping ground is not anymore a water that fish can survive in. What used to be their home has become a dangerous place for the ecosystem.

For years, the concern for dying rivers has been ...
... made known to the masses. Only a few, however, listen. Because of this, only a few of those listeners take action. To those who choose not to listen, the messages are nothing but a passing fancy of some people, and as long as they feel like they are not affected, they would not care. None of those damaged-ecosystem-messages would be effective on them.

What would it take to make the people act and save the rivers? Perhaps a modern reason - OK, help us maintain this river, and a new urban city will stand by its banks. Or, This river holds the fortune to our city, this will be a new attraction, lets clean this up. Whatever reason it was, it sure is working for Ogden River Restoration Project, headed by Gadi Leshem.

Notice how interior designers tip home owners to put a centerpiece on their room - a furniture that will attract the most attention. To Ogden, Ogden River can become a centerpiece. Gadi Leshem, and his team is in an effort to transform Ogden River into a new attraction that should call in tourists to Ogden, Utah.

A development of a new downtown attraction might have worked for some residents who used to not care, yet before anything else, a more important operation should take place - the river restoration. The project of Gadi Leshem would beat its purpose if the river would not go back to its habitat state. The Ogden River Restoration Project is by far Ogden's best effort to bring back the river to its natural, beautiful state.