FREE! TAKE ONE!
FEBRUARY 7, 2020
VOLUME 5 ISSUE 6
CAR. TR. MKTG MAIL US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 244 BRADFORD, PA
L I L V E G SP RIN TIMES
The official newspaper of the Town of Concord, and the Village of Springville. Serving Springville, the surrounding communities and Springville-Griffith Institute Central Schools
Springville dam project on track, but with some hesitation from the community
By Kellen M. Quigley
The proposed project to lower Scoby Dam on the Cattaraugus Creek is moving forward with plans by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but not without some hesitation by the people who live, work and play nearby. Several dozen Springville area residents and those concerned about such a project’s impact gathered Jan. 29 in the Concord Town Hall for a presentation by several officials involved in the development, environmental impact and health risk aspects of lowering the dam. Project Manager Geoffrey Hintz with the Corps of Engineers said they have spent the past 10 years putting the project together with preliminary studies and
Photo by Kellen M. Quigley Several dozen members of the Springville community and from across Western New York gathered Jan. 29 in the Concord Town Hall for a meeting concerning the proposed project to lower Scoby Dam and add a fish ladder.
planning. Pending state and federal approval, the project is expected to go out to bid in August, Hintz said, with construction beginning that fall. If all goes
according to plan, he said the project could be done by late 2021 or early 2022. Hintz said a major concern in the community is the impact of possible nuclear
Keeping things musical at SGI
Photo by Elyana Schosek Fourth grader Cora Miller practices her clarinet as a member of the Springville elementary school band.
By Elyana Schosek Student Reporter Academics, arts, athletics. Springville-Griffith Institute High School Principal James Bialasik has continued to emphasize this idea for a number of years for
students. Each of the three categories is pretty self-explanatory. The SGI Music Department allows students to start playing an instrument in fourth grade and to continue through high school if they so choose. “Just as athletics and
other competitive teams are concerned, playing a musical instrument, whether it be a piccolo or a string bass, allows you to become part of something,” one high school band member said. Last week the fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade band students performed at the high school for their families. This week, the seventh through twelfth graders will be having a concert. Olivia Giammarco is a junior at SGI and has played flute in the band since fourth grade. When asked why she has continued it for as long as she has, she answered simply, “It brings a way for me to connect with both myself and others through music.” Cora Miller is in fourth grade at SGI and has just begun playing clarinet this year. When asked See Music page 4
contamination from West Valley Development Project upstream, which was previously tested about a decade ago. “The determination at the time was there is no contamination of concern
in the creek,” he said. “The DEC partners said the work that we’ve done isn’t sufficient and we want to do more samples down to the bottom of the impoundment and test that for contamination.” Geologist Bill Frederick with the Corps of Engineers explained the various testing processes and analyses performed in the creek between the West Valley plant ceased operation and the preparations for the project. The most recent samples showed little to no difference in radiation amounts in the water compared to above West Valley, all of which were below levels of concern. “The (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) essentially told us the sediment is a lowrisk to no-risk profile for the radionuclide,”
Frederick said. “The 2018 sampling verified what we determined in 2012 and 2015, that there was no added risk to a construction worker, a recreational user or a farmer from sentiments behind the dam.” Hints said other concerns are how the project is going to affect fishing, properties downstream, ice jams and flooding. “We’ve evaluated that over these years, we have detailed studies completed and the answer is there is no negative impact from changing that structure that is going to affect the properties downstream,” he said. Biologist James Markham with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation discussed See Dam page 4
What’s happening now and soon at the Springville Center for the Arts
Photo submitted Plenty of activities are in the works for February, March and beyond at Springville Center for the Arts.
By Alex Simmons The Springville Center for the Arts has something going on all year round. With the upcoming spring season, they have many classes and opportunities to explore your inner creativity. For the third year in a
row, The SCA is offering an opportunity to brighten up the Village of Springville with the Public Art Corps. In previous years some projects included “a mural on the rail trail, stencils on the sidewalks, mini-murals and more,” according to the Springville Center for the Arts Spring
Newsletter. “We are excited to start planning for our 2020 projects.” If you are interested in joining to make the Village of Springville pop with color you can call (716) 5929038. “Printed maps are available at the SCA, See SCA page 3
A Look Back:
The Wadsworth Family of Concord By Jolene Hawkins
Looking back in the history of Concord and so many names of people, who seemed to do so much for this area, pop up. One of the family names that you will see is Wadsworth, and I thought we would learn a little more about this family. The Wadsworth family is full of men who
achieved greatness during their time. Capt. Joseph Wadsworth preserved the Charter of Connecticut in 1687, Capt. Jonathan Wadsworth was killed at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777 and Richard Wadsworth moved to Springville in 1833. Frederick Wadsworth had a store in Vicksburg and we have his letters as the soldiers during the Civil War destroyed his store, throwing items in the street, burning them and his store. He rebuilt the store, only to have it destroyed again. The farm they were living
in was commandeered by the generals for their headquarters, forcing them to move away, but that is a story for another day. John Wadsworth was born in Buffalo and later his family moved to Springville where he attended Springville Academy. He was a clerk for the store that was kept by Manly Colton. Later he went to Vicksburg to work with his brother, Frederick, and remained there until his health started to fail. Then, he set out by sea to California where he worked in a mine. The hard fare of a miner’s life benefited him, and his weight soon climbed
up to 200 pounds. After residing in San Francisco a while, he went to Oregon, where he was Assistant Commissary General in the Oregon War. Either for business or recreation, he went to almost every part of the United States and Canada. He went to Europe where he remained for three years. During his time there he also went to the Holy Lands and Egypt, Italy and Asia, embracing the Grecian Island. H.T. Wadsworth moved to Springville in 1833 when he was about 20 years of age. For over 40 years he had a harness business. His son Charles
assisted his Uncle John when he was engaged at a sutler in the Army as well as in his harness business here in town. So, what about the Wadsworth Monument that is in the Maplewood cemetery? Well, it required five flat cars on the S & S Railway to transport as it is 31 feet 6 inches tall and composed of Maine granite, weighing 44,663 pounds. The price at the time (1879) was $3,000. It required 8 strong horses to draw it up from the train station and three days to get it all set up. The monument base is 6 feet, 10 inches square. Upon this base rest the second base which is 5
feet, 8 inches square and is one foot high with the name WADSWORTH engraved on one side. The third base is 5 feet, 2 inches square by one See A Look Back page 4