Commission Project Reports

Project Reports
Many of the partnership projects that the Heritage Corridor Commission is involved in lead to the creation of a report or study. These reports cover varying topics and their focus can range from region-wide to site specific. Below are a number of the reports created by the Heritage Corridor Commission in recent years. Please feel free to download any of them.

Blackstone Canal Feasibility Study
With funding from the National Park Service, the Corridor Commission recently completed a study of two segments of the Blackstone Canal that assessed the feasibility of greater recreational access to and restoration of this significant historic resource. In Massachusetts, the study focused on the portion of the canal located in the Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park in Uxbridge and Northbridge, and the report includes recommendations about repairing breaches in the canal trench, rebuilding sections of the towpath embankment and restoring Goat Hill Lock. The potential operation of a canal boat replica is also addressed.

In Rhode Island, the study focused on the portion of the canal within the Blackstone River State Park in Lincoln and the report explores, among other things, the rehabilitation or construction of water control structures as a means of controlling flooding.Each of the study reports may be downloaded here:

Canal Feasibility Study - MA - FINAL DRAFT Dec 2011

Canal Feasibility Study - RI - FINAL DRAFT Dec 2011

 

Millbury Dam Removal Study
An often forgotten 1830 granite dam built to provide water power for a satinette mill is emerging as the model for how to study the impacts of removing a dam on a heavily industrialized river. A broad-based coalition ranging from Riverways, a division of Fish & Game; Mass Audubon, National Grid, Coastal America, a corporate wetlands philanthropy, and the Corridor Commisson is partnering a feasibility study to examine the complete or partial removal of this very early Millbury Dam.

Click here for a copy of the report (PDF: 8.8 MB/ 177 pages)

Blackstone Canal Preservation Study
The Corridor Commission has completed two studies of the Blackstone Canal – one focused on the canal as it runs through Massachusetts, and one that examines the Rhode Island portion of the canal.Together, these studies identify and map resources along the full length of the 45-mile long canal and include recommendations for the protection, stabilization, rehabilitation and interpretation of particularly significant and intact segments of the canal.

Click here for a copy of the Executive Summary of the Massachusetts Study. (PDF: 1.5 MB/ 10 pages)

Click here to see recommendations for key segments of the canal in Massachusetts.

(PDF: 347 kb/ 2 pages)

Click here for the complete Massachusetts Canal report
(PDF: 82 MB/120 pages)

Click here for a copy of the Executive Summary from the Rhode Island study.(PDF: 1.9 MB/ 2 pages)

Click here to see recommendations for preserving and interpreting the canal in Rhode Island.(PDF 282 k/ 11 pages)

Click here to see the full RI Canal Preservation Study.

(PDF 10 Mb)

Design Review Manual A Guide for the Blackstone River Valley
Many communities in the Blackstone Valley are growing at rapid rates and face the challenge of ensuring that new development is compatible with the established character of their historic villages and neighborhoods. The Design Review Manual A Guide for the Blackstone River Valley provides Valley communities with general information on how design review works, and how to begin a local design review process.

Click here to download a copy of the Design Review Manual. (PDF: 887 kb/ 31 pages)

 

Moffet Mill Interpretive Plan
The Moffet Mill is a c. 1810 machine shop recently restored and stabilized by the RI Department of Transportation using Federal Highway funds. The Heritage Corridor Commission is working with the Town of Lincoln and the Slater Mill to re-install the original machinery and other artifacts into the Moffet Mill so that the public can see it looked like in its heyday.

Click here to see the Interpretive Plan, which highlights the Moffet Mill’s rich story, along with plans for the mill’s future.
(PDF: 1.73 MB/ 32 pages)

The Future of the Red Shop
At the request of the Hopedale Historical Commission, Corridor Commission staff conducted a workshop in December of 2002 to discuss the future of the Red Shop in Hopedale, MA. Built in 1843, the Shop is the oldest building associated with the Draper plant operations in the community of Hopedale. The workshop was designed to consider future uses for the shop and to begin to identify goals for the operation and long term sustainability of the facility.

Click here for the Red Shop report
(PDF: 859 kb/ 19 pages)

Trail / Greenway Vision Report
The Blackstone Valley Trail & Greenway Vision Report outlines a vision for trail and greenway development for years to come. This report should help municipalities and state agencies prioritize their planning, development and land acquisition strategies in an efficient and cost effective manner.

Complete Trail/Greenway Report
(PDF: 24.3 MB/ 71 pages)

Trail/ GreenwayExecutive Summary (PDF: 5 MB/ 3 pages)

For other recent Heritage Corridor Commission reports please visit the following pages:

The Next Ten Years, for our Ten Year Plan

The Future of the Heritage Corridor for our Sustainabilty Study

Blackstone Valley Natural Resources for our Natural Resource Inventory