Image courtesy Dan B.

I used an errand after work as an excuse to go for an extended run and check out the flood damage in Troy’s North Central neighborhood.

From what I can gather, there wasn’t much damage, at least not what I could see. The river was running, but not raging. The lasting effects of the storm may be more psychological than physical. Like so many others, we’ve viewed disastrous floods from a distance. This detachment kept us ill-prepared to deal with the possibility of being one of those towns that becomes stock footage during televised coverage of weather-related disasters.

Other areas, particularly those in the Catskills and Vermont, weren’t so lucky.

Still, it reminded us that the Hudson is more than a body of water that we pass over to get to or from work or the mall. Anthropomorphic qualities are given to rivers in literature and historical texts, but mostly only in terms of its economic, social, and cultural relevance. We forget that the river can be a living, breathing thing in and of itself. It can swell and lash out when stretched beyond its limits. Too much stress and agitation, and it has a tantrum that slowly builds and culminates in an all-out rampage. We pass over it effortlessly every day, but at its absolute (and thankfully very rare) worst moments, it can take everything away from us: our homes, our commerce, our sense of security, our means of escape, and in two tragic cases so far, our actual lives. Again, though, the damage was nowhere near as bad as it could have been, and for that we are lucky.

Running along River Street, I encountered the occasional empty lot that allowed a peek at the river. It was still running a bit wild and slightly high, but nowhere near where it was on Sunday and Monday. On my way back I hit the intersection at 101st St., where Second Avenue once again becomes River Street, and entered the empty parking lot of a community center, which gave me an opportunity to get closer to the River than anywhere else on my route. I walked near, then into, the area where the river had reached its peak, nowhere near any property that I could see. The grass was still there, green as it ever was, possibly greener.

After my errands ended, I continued South until I reached the Riverfront. The crowds that gathered during the flood itself to survey the damage had dissipated, but there was still teaming and buzzing. People from all walks of life wandered through the parking lot of Dinosaur Barbecue and Riverfront Park. Some sat on benches, staring outwardly, and clearly had been there for some time. In the street behind them, Cars and buses drove by, kicking up dust behind them from the dried mud left by the Hudson’s surge. It was the most activity I’d seen there in years.

It was a surreal but hopeful scene. Most, including myself, had gone to gauge the destruction and devastation that had been wrought. Though I can only speak for myself, it seems we didn’t get quite as much of it as we had anticipated. Yet this didn’t seem to bring about any disappointment, but rather gave people an opportunity to mill about and gaze at the Hudson without the sense of dread and the heavy thought of “where do we even start” that is likely weighing down folks in surrounding areas.

Though still dark brown with upturned Earth and littered with debris, the Hudson was a sight to behold on tuesday night. As I joined these strangers in staring out, it occurred to me that maybe – just maybe – an event such as this can be used to reinvigorate or even instill a greater appreciation for the Riverfront.

By the time I got downtown, the water had receded. But I didn’t see the river going down. Instead, I saw Troy rising.
———-
Plenty of areas were hit much harder than us in these floods and could use our help. Here’s an incomplete list of where you can go for more information.

Also, if you’re healthy and haven’t had a tattoo done in the last calendar year, the American Red Cross will have a blood drive on RPI’s campus at the Mueller Center, right on 15th Street in Troy until 5:30pm.

5 Responses to After the Flood

  1. Chuck Miller says:

    Fantastic post, Kevin. One of your best.

  2. phoneguy says:

    “I didn’t see the river going down. Instead, I saw Troy rising.”

    Great comment. I couldn’t get over the amount of people downtown Monday night checking out the river. It would be a wonderful sight to see hundreds of people walking, shopping, eating, going to shows, and people watching in a revitalized riverfront in both Troy and Albany.
    I never in my life saw so many people in Cohoes either when we went over to look at the Cohoes Falls.
    I know it takes a ton of money to improve on the riverfront in a large city but it also takes ambitious people with great ideas willing to take a chance. The Capital Region needs young, vibrant leaders that are more geared to improve on the region than they are motivated by politics.

  3. Gman says:

    Well done, Local Treasure. I only speak half in jest when I say Irene’s last name should be Keynes – there’s a lot of rebuild that will have to be done. Interestingly enough, one of the more contentious political blogs over yonder turned into a catcalling contest when the subject of federal money came up. I was not at all surprised but couldn’t believe that not 48 hours after Windham got eviscerated people were calling each other idiots.

    • Gman - Yikes. I think I know which one you’re talking about, but I don’t even want to look. There’s no point in it, because the discussion isn’t worth our time. Not yet, not ever.

      The brazen lack of respect some people have for civil decorum, each other, and especially themselves is shameful. Not every moment is an opportunity to jump on a farcical political pedestal or make a joke at someone else’s expense. The least little bit of restraint goes a long way towards being a halfway decent human being.

  4. Richard Lewis says:

    Larry, that last line brought a tear to my eye. That was beautiful, man.

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