NEW ALBANY, Ind. — New Albany’s mayor is responding to safety concerns at the dam on Silver Creek.
Mayor Jeff Gahan has announced new improvements to the infrastructure of the Glenmill Park Dam.
Residents have been calling for change since the death of 14-year-old Andre Edwards on Memorial Day.
"I've had more conversations than I can count of people concerned about this, my phone more than anything else, blew up about this issue," said Scott Hawkins, at-large councilmember at Jeffersonville City Council.
Hawkins said the tragedy was brought to his attention by a friend of the Edwards family. The boy's family said he was walking along the top of the dam when he slipped and fell.
They and many others have now called for the removal of the dam.
The dam was put in place more than 100 years ago and plays an important role in New Albany’s ecosystem. Not only does it provide a habitat for wildlife, but Gahan also said it maintains the water supply, reduce flash flooding and creates recreational opportunities for those on both sides of the creek.
But Gahan believes there are ways to make the dam safe.
He released photos of the proposed changes on Monday which shows modifications, removing the undercurrent of the dam while still providing safe access to the water for recreation purposes.
"Both sides in this quarrel over the dam had filed more legal actions against one another and this has created a very complex web of legal," Hawkins said.
Hawkins said he thought about filing a resolution but decided against it due to ongoing legal issues over the dam.
Several organizations like River Heritage and Origin Park have been calling for the dam to be destroyed.
Gahan said this move would cause more problems than solutions.
He wants the two organizations to meet with the city to come to a solution together.
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