Charles City, Va.—The public once again has access to two fishing piers, a picnic shelter and trail at the Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery thanks to the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) and the volunteers from Iron Workers Local 28, who repaired a popular pedestrian bridge.
Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the 444-acre Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery raises fish and freshwater mussels for stocking rivers in the mid-Atlantic, while also offering the public a variety of recreational opportunities including fishing, hiking, birdwatching and boating.
After a structural inspection, a pedestrian bridge leading to an island at the hatchery was closed due to the condition of the welds supporting the bridge decking.
When the USFWS reached out to the USA for assistance through its Work Boots on the Ground (WBG) conservation program, which unites union members to volunteer their time and skills to local conservation projects, the union community quickly responded.
“When the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance and Richmond Building Trades reached out to us about repairing the pedestrian bridge, it was an easy yes,” said Ironworkers Local 28 Business Manager/Financial Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Poole. “Unions believe in giving back to the communities they live in, and we were happy to help improve the experience of all visitors to the Harrison Lake Fish Hatchery.”
With welding machines and materials supplied by Four Square Industrial Constructors, six members of Ironworkers Local 28 donated approximately 24 hours to re-clamp and weld the brackets supporting the bridge decking, so it could reopen to the public after a five-month closure.
“Every day, the public was asking when the bridge would be open, so having union volunteers fix it at no cost in such a short timeframe was amazingly helpful. We would not have been able to open it this summer without them,” said Hatchery Manager Rachel Mair.
“Every time I go up to the lake, it’s busy with people enjoying it—fishing, kayaking, picnicking, birdwatching and just having fun,” Mair added. “We really appreciate the union volunteers getting the bridge operational and look forward to a continued partnership with the USA.”
“We love opportunities to partner with the USFWS and union members on conservation projects that improve public opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors,” said USA Conservation Programs Manager Sam Phipps, “and we look forward to working together on future projects at hatcheries and other USFWS managed properties that benefit communities around the nation.”
Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA): The USA is a union-dedicated, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose members hunt, fish, shoot and volunteer their skills for conservation. The USA is uniting the union community through conservation to preserve North America’s outdoor heritage. For more information, visit www.unionsportsmen.org or connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Work Boots on the Ground (WBG): WBG is the USA’s flagship conservation program that brings together union members willing to volunteer their time and expertise to conservation projects that improve and enhance public access to the outdoors, conserve wildlife habitat, restore America’s parks and mentor youth in the outdoors. The USA’s Work Boots on the Ground program works closely with federal, state and local agencies and other conservation groups to provide manpower needed to complete critical projects that may otherwise go undone.
