Volunteers with Michigan Waterways Stewards attend the Feb. 2 Albion City Council meeting, where they were acknowledged for their contributions to river stewardship efforts in the community. Several volunteers came with friends, helping boost attendance on a frigid winter evening.
Water touches every part of a community’s daily life — from the water that comes out of the tap to the rivers and parks that shape how people experience their town. In Albion, where neighborhoods, industry, and recreation all developed alongside water, city leaders are increasingly talking about those systems together rather than as isolated projects. One thing that comes through clearly in that conversation is how much people care about the Kalamazoo River — from the volunteers who spent time last summer cleaning up its banks and channels, to the engineers and planners working to protect it for the long term.
That connection was reflected in discussions at the Feb. 2 Albion City Council meeting and will continue at a public open house at 6 p.m., Thursday, March 5 at Marshall Opportunity High School on Watson Street. The open house will give residents a chance to review planned infrastructure work and river-related projects, ask questions, and see how multiple efforts fit into a broader picture — including understanding which streets may be under construction again this year.
A major part of that picture is Albion’s Water System Improvement Project, which includes six separate contracts designed to modernize and strengthen the city’s drinking water system. The work includes improvements at the water treatment plant, construction of a new one-million-gallon water tower, multiple water main replacement projects, and lead water service replacements.
Engineers with Wightman said the new water tower is expected to be completed by August, and all components of the water system project are scheduled for completion by the end of the year. Wightman is providing engineering services for the work, while construction is being carried out by contractors.
In addition to the system-wide improvements, several street reconstruction projects planned for 2026 will include coordinated upgrades to underground infrastructure. These projects combine water main replacement, sanitary sewer replacement, storm sewer improvements, and roadway reconstruction along sections of West Cass Street, Albion Street, Dean Drive and Hoaglin Drive near McIntosh Park, and portions of Bemer, Magnotta, and Dean.
River restoration also remains part of Albion’s long-term planning, but city officials emphasized that major changes to the Mill Race area are not imminent. Design and permitting work for the Mill Race Dam removal are still underway, and funding for demolition and restoration has not yet been secured. As a result, that project is likely at least two to three years away and could take longer depending on funding availability.
For now, residents can continue to enjoy Victory Park, the Mill Race area, and other riverfront spaces as they exist today. While future improvements are being discussed and planned, no river restoration construction is scheduled to begin in 2026.
Albion was founded at the forks of the Kalamazoo River, and water has shaped this community from the beginning. The Kalamazoo runs right through downtown — beneath the iconic Coca-Cola mural, under streets, and even under some buildings — a reminder of how deeply the river is woven into the city’s fabric. For much of Albion’s early history, the Mill Race, a man-made channel that diverted river water, powered local mills. Those mills are long gone, and with them the original need for the Mill Race and its dams. Bigger changes to the river are coming, but securing necessary funding is the main hurdle, and that process takes time.
That careful approach extended to last summer’s stewardship work as well. Some residents have wondered whether volunteer efforts — such as Michigan Waterways Stewards clearing fallen trees and debris from the Kalamazoo River — are properly overseen. The answer is yes. EGLE, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, is the state agency that oversees significant projects affecting Michigan’s rivers and waterways. Both the cleanup work and the long-term restoration planning are coordinated with EGLE, which means nothing happens carelessly or out of sequence. For Albion’s river, that oversight is genuinely reassuring. The waterfalls, the Mill Race corridor, and the riverfront will remain as they are while the city works through the design, permitting, and — most importantly — the funding that must be secured before larger changes can happen.
During the Feb. 2 meeting, council members also heard from Michael Stout, president and founder of Michigan Waterways Stewards, who highlighted volunteer-led cleanup and stewardship work last summer along the Kalamazoo River. The effort focused on clearing fallen trees and woody debris from the river to create navigable lanes for paddlers, with a major push in July near the pedestrian bridge at McClure Park on the city’s western edge. The long-term goal is to make the river paddlable all the way from Albion College to Lake Michigan — a stretch of roughly 123 miles — without paddlers needing to portage around obstacles.
The work was marked by a community celebration Aug. 2, 2025. hosted by the Rotary Club of Albion. Stout’s presentation at the Feb. 2 City Council meeting recognized the contributions of Albion-area residents and organizations, including individual volunteers Anthony Cox and the Masternak family, as well as community members James Seidl, Vivian Davis, Jackie Gutierrez, Dave Huber, Jason Kern, Mike Riddle, Lindsay Roark, Jon Zick, Alex Kotas, Thom Wilch, Bonnie, and Milt Barnes.
Stout also acknowledged the involvement of civic and partner organizations, including the Albion Rotary Club, the Rotaract Club of Albion College, the Center for Sustainability and the Environment, Scouting America, and Play Right Sports. Local support for the work has included sponsorship from the Albion Area Philanthropic Women and the Albion Community Foundation’s Riverfront Development and Environmental Fund.
The March 5 Public Open House is intended as a hands-on opportunity for residents to see maps, ask questions, and better understand how water mains, streets, and river planning are being coordinated. Together, the discussions reflect a broader approach to water in Albion: maintaining essential infrastructure, protecting natural resources, and giving residents time and information to stay engaged while continuing to enjoy the community’s parks and riverfront today.
