River Roots Redevelopment: The Week Before the Work
- Editor
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Selina Pedi-Smith,
Founder, Pellere Foundation
Happy Mid-May! I really wish my brain would come up with something other than “Where did the year go??” when I look at the calendar, but…here it is, mid-May already. And I do not, in fact, know where the rest of the year has gone.
I do know where the last week went. Paperwork, project planning, and podcasts. And, drum roll please: Prepping for the Digger. Which, as of the time I’m typing this, was just delivered. No, I haven’t been able to play in it yet. BUT, by the time you’re reading this, I should be a pro. I might even have the entire drainage network dug for our driveway. Fingers crossed.
For the last week, though, I got to spend an inordinate amount of time preparing. Trying, valiantly, to decide what needs to be done - in what order. Walking around with bundles of colored flags, marking out where I need to dig for the twenty thousand digging-related projects I have. My property is quite festive looking right now, I have to say.
And then it rained. Of course it rained. A solid 36 hours right before the digger was delivered. Which, to be fair, did confirm that yes, the entire slope behind my house empties rainwater into two very specific spots on my driveway. Thank you, Mother Nature. Duly noted. I’m working on it.
So, by next week, I should have some fun tales with which to regale you.
Right now, though, it’s just been several days of not-very-glamorous final prep and a bunch of standing in random spots imagining what everything will look like when the work is actually done.
And wondering if we’ll need the digger for two months instead of one.
Honestly, I think the biggest challenge of the next month (or two) will be…well…not spending all of my available time in the excavator. I do have, you know, other things to do. Reports to write, new funding to research, projects to manage, podcasts to record.
Speaking of which: if you haven’t had a chance to check them out yet, we’re up to four episodes of our podcast! Just search for Pellere Foundation on YouTube or Spotify and you’ll find us. We’re planning to record our next episode on site at the 2nd St. house, so if you’re curious what it looks like right now, you’ll have your chance.
For now, I’m about to spend my first weekend getting to know this machine. My fingers are tingling, my mind is whirring, and my whole body is leaning toward that first satisfying smoosh of dirt in the bucket.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
Rachel Brosnahan is the Community Engagement Coordinator for River Roots Redevelopment. Want to help us rethink what redevelopment can look like—together? Follow the conversation and share your thoughts with us on Facebook and LinkedIn, or reach out directly to rachel@riverrootsredevelopment.org. We’d love to hear from you!