ROCKY RIPPLE -
Residents in Rocky Ripple staged a protest Saturday, pleading for help, in getting protection from potential flooding.
They worry the town literally could go underwater, if federal officials don't reroute plans for a flood wall around the town.
Don Royer may not fit the stereotype of a community activist.
He's 88 years old, blind, and confined to a wheelchair.
But the lifetime Rocky Ripple resident is making his voice heard.
He fears his town and its value could be wiped out by flooding in the future.
"Anybody that would ever want to buy a home in Rocky Ripple would be very hesitant and the property of Rocky Ripple would decline to nothing," Royer said.
Royer joined dozens of residents in a protest along the 53rd Street bridge Saturday.
People armed with signs, saying "don't wall us out" and "don't cripple the ripple", shouted "What do we want? Flood protection! When do we want it? Now!"
They're protesting against a proposed project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
It would create a levee and flood wall to protect the nearby Butler-Tarkington neighborhood.
But the plan leaves Rocky Ripple out.
"The Corps of Engineers came up with this plan to actually sandbag-in our community and not give us any assistance," said protest organizer and Rocky Ripple resident, Robert Tomey. "Our levee is going to fail and the Corps' plan will destroy our community."
Protesters dumped a load of sandbags on 53rd Street, to symbolize the danger.
They also laid down on the bridge, to show what a town of 800 looks like, if everyone becomes displaced.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told our partners at the Indianapolis Star that changing the plan now would cost millions of dollars.
But residents fear without a flood wall, the White River would literally drown this neighborhood.
"If it does come over, the whole town is going to be hurt," Royer said.
That's why they've united their voices with a message: Rocky Ripple matters.
The Corps of Engineers is taking comments on the flood wall through August 31st.
On Thursday, there's a public hearing on the issue at Meridian Street United Methodist Church, where people will be able to voice their concerns.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WTHR. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
