This weekend I had the opportunity to meet up with some of Michael’s colleagues in a park. Not just any park, though.
Each week, I would hear Michael say, “I have to go to Roebling tomorrow.” I never knew where that was, and sometimes only half-listened to the details on what he was doing there.
But on Saturday, I learned how the area in Florence Township, NJ, had been the site of accumulated waste from the John A. Roebling's Sons Company that made steel and wire products. John A. Roebling’s steel had been used to build the Brooklyn Bridge, among others.
The Environmental Protection Agency received feedback from area residents indicating a strong need for public access to the waterfront. CDM Smith was involved in the site remediation and transformation of the piles of dirt into a beautiful park overlooking the water, with Michael overseeing some of these plans.
My thanks to Stephen Mirabello and Jeffrey Rakowski for spearheading the effort to have one of the benches dedicated to Michael, and for organizing the get-together.
I only have one regret. I wish the park was closer for me to enjoy on a regular basis.
