×

Let younger generations have their say

It might not be surprising to most that people who live along the Souris River are leery about flooding and have negative feelings about the river.

That is not good news to a group of people who would like to see the Mighty Mouse redeveloped, made more like the natural river that used to curl its way through the Magic City.

The group, Friends of the Souris River, has done considerable work in the past few years to help clean up the mess left behind by the flood of 2011. They worked especially hard in the dead loops of the river, which were cut off in the 1970s to improve the flow of the Souris. They also conducted a survey, which shows Minot residents living along the Souris River might view the river more positively if there were opportunities for recreation, according to survey results released Thursday.

That is good news.

“I think the results point to what we already knew,” said Shannon Straight, a Friends of the Souris River organizer. “People in Minot are still a bit traumatized by the flood and don’t think of the river in the best light. We’re hopeful we can start to change that.”

Well, have at it. Their ideas are good, but the city’s focus right now is on flood control. Still, the city council should be listening to all voices, and if there is a way to work with Friends of the Souris River they should do so.

The younger generation, it seems, wants very much to have access to the river for recreational purposes, and, money aside, there is no reason they shouldn’t have it.

As for those negative feelings toward the river, perhaps a wider more professional poll would tell a different story. It would be interesting to see if people are still upset with and leery about the river, or with the people who manage it.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today