ENVISION SIDNEY'S RESILIENT RIVERFRONT
A RENEWED VISION: These illustrations imagine how Sidney might use sustainable green infrastructure to mitigate flooding. Our renewed vision needs to consider:​​
It's Time to Renew Our Vision
This 2021 initiative with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) offered an intensive revisioning of the Village of Sidney's 2014 Managed Retreat Program. The Village of Sidney was one of only two communities awarded this opportunity to engage the public in deciding how to use new open space, including over 100 parcels of land bought out to date by the Village's Managed Retreat Program.
-
How should vacant land be transformed?
-
What heritage and cultural histories can we share?
-
Which areas are best suited to hold floodwater?
-
What does our natural ecosystem need to thrive?
-
How can we conserve spaces for recreation, entertainment and education?
-
Which local government, academic, nonprofit, and private sector partners want to help?
$700K NYS FUNDS AWARDED FOR SIDNEY WATERFRONT RECREATION
In December 2022, the Village of Sidney was awarded $700K from NYS DOS LWRP to design and construct waterfront recreational amenities, including a green soccer complex and event lawn at a new GreenPlain Community Park adjacent to the Susquehanna River. This project implements the goals of the Village's 2022 Envisioning Sidney’s Resilient Riverfront Plan and the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program by conserving waterfront lands for public amenities that can safely flood while still meeting community needs for resilient recreation. Read below to learn more about the visioning process that helped to identify and shape these waterfront projects. Learn more about the Department of State programs and awards.
about the visioning initiative.
Sidney had the exciting opportunity to work with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to ENVISION SIDNEY'S RESILIENT RIVERFRONT! This 2021-2022 initiative offered an intensive revisioning of the Village of Sidney's 2014 Managed Retreat Program. Our village was one of only two communities awarded this opportunity to engage the public in deciding how to use new open space, including over 100 parcels of land bought out to date by the Village's Managed Retreat Program. The visioning events began in October 2021 and the final plan was completed in late spring 2022. The Village used various community engagement and participation approaches, providing the Sidney community with dozens of options to engage. Watch the videos below for an overview of the visioning process supported by The Nature Conservancy and to experience an aerial flyover of the new open space areas in the Village.
​
The Village is pleased to share ENVISION SIDNEY'S RESILIENT RIVERFRONT, the final plan that emerged from the Village's intensive visioning process with Sidney residents to identify the community's vision for our open space along the Susquehanna riverfront.
about the initiative.
Watch The Nature Conservancy's 5-minute film about the Community Visioning Process in Sidney and Edgemere, the two NYS communities awarded this opportunity.
Community Visioning: Creating a Safer Future Together
Watch an aerial video of the Resilent Sidney Riverfront and adjacent Village areas.
Watch a webinar featuring the Village in a discussion about the community visioning process.
renewing our vision.
"Time has come for a wide array of voices to articulate a clear consensus on how land should be repurposed to create social, environmental, and economic benefits through a visioning & partnership building program in 2021."
Our renewed vision of how Sidney might use sustainable green infrastructure to mitigate flooding considered:
​
-
How should vacant land be transformed?
-
What heritage and cultural histories can we share?
-
Which areas are best suited to hold floodwater?
-
What does our natural ecosystem need to thrive?
-
How can we conserve spaces for recreation, entertainment and education?
-
Which local government, academic, nonprofit, and private sector partners want to help?
Our GreenPlain studies determined that built-out floodplains, impervious surfaces, undersized culverts, eroding soil and agricultural and urban runoff increase our flood risk. Our plan uses green infrastructure to treat stormwater at its source, reconnect floodplains and wetlands, reclaim urban land and low value farmland, and diversify habitat around a 50-acre riparian forest.
#Imagine For 1 Minute.
A @tommustill / Gripping Films Production
Warning: Video Contains Flashing Images
Time has come for a wide array of voices to articulate a clear consensus on how land should be repurposed to create social, environmental, and economic benefits through a visioning and partnership building program in 2021. The Envision the Sidney GreenPlain project is one of a three-part Resilient-Sidney Initiative to build resources, relationships and capacity. It also includes development of a:
​​
-
Climate-Adaptation Oriented Comprehensive Plan
-
Resilience-Based Land Management Codes and Policies (including Zoning)
STAY tuned.
The Village's Proposal to TNC.
In January 2021, the Village of Sidney submitted a proposal to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) for funding to engage in a renewed visioning process for our managed retreat parcels throughout the Village.
Tell Your Stories.
Share your ideas on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 and Thursday, January 13, 2022 by participating in 30-minute ONLINE FOCUS GROUP CHATS. Topics will include issues emphasized in the Resilient Sidney surveys, including the need for youth soccer fields, family-friendly open space and recreation, ideas for gardens in Sidney, and making community spaces accessible and inclusive.
Public Workshops.
Please join us at the second online workshop on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 from 7:00-8:30PM to help Envision and Design Sidney's Resilient Riverfront. Don't miss this chance to give your input on preliminary design concepts for publicly owned land along Sidney's waterfront.
Meet the Team.
Meet the team who will be supporting the Village and Sidney community through the visioning process.
Share your Voice.
Visit the project survey page to take 3 brief project surveys to tell us what you would like to see along Sidney's riverfront open spaces and the types of outdoor recreation opportunities that you think Sidney needs.
Get Updates!
Please reach out to us if you would like to stay involved and stay updated as the project progresses. SIGN UP BELOW to receive project updates via email, send us a message at resilientsidney@gmail.com or feel free to call us at 607-561-2320.