Imagine walking along a beautifully landscaped sidewalk next to theriver at Brooklyn Ave., where the riverbanks were previously overgrownand too steep to be easily navigated on foot. You stop at a stunning overlook to watch river barges as they are lifted nine feet at a lock and dam to continue their journey upriver, past a lush grotto and historic pedestrian bridge, to the new turning basin at Pearl Brewery. This is part ofthe vision of the San Antonio River Improvements Project (SARIP). Its enhancements, which were funded by the San Antonio River Foundation, will transform this new linear park into a unique and educational local attraction that will draw both locals and visitors to the river’s extended banks.
Officially christened on June 13, 1691, the San Antonio River was a source of water and life for our area’s earliest settlers. Now, more than 300 years later, the river continues to be the life–blood of our thriving city. In the 1930s and 1940s, San Antonio’s visionary leaders created the world–famous River Walk, turning a 2–mile stretch of the river downtown into a haven for tourists and citizens alike. In more recent years, community leaders have refocused their efforts on previously undeveloped areas of the river in an attempt to rejuvenate the downtown experience and find even more possibilities for recreation and cultural experiences a long the historic waterway. Now our river is undergoing significant and exciting developments through the San Antonio River Improvements Project, a multi phased endeavor that will continue for the next five to seven years.
The SARIP is divided into three separate "reaches:" the downtownreach, the museum reach and the mission reach. The downtown reach includes improvements to the River Walk and was completed in 2002. The museum reach of the SARIP will stretch from Lexington Ave. to Hildebrand Ave. and consists of two separate segments. The urban segment, which runs from Lexington Ave. to Josephine St., is already under construction and has a projected completion date of May 2009. The park segment, which is still awaiting final design and funding, will continue from Josephine St. to Hildebrand Ave. and will be the last phase of the SARIP initiative. The mission reach, which broke ground in October 2007, will stretch nearly eight miles from South Alamo St. to Mission Espada and is expected to be completed in 2012.
The $250+ million river improvements project is the result of a unique public–private partnership that consists of many entities working together toward the creation of a 15–mile linear park unlike any other in the nation. While the city, the county, San Antonio River Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are providing the basic infrastructure improvements, and while the San Antonio River Oversight Committee is providing community input, the San Antonio River Foundation is the sole private arm of the partnership and is responsible for providing the unique cultural, aesthetic and recreational character that will make the river experience truly unparalleled. As such, the foundation is the conduit through which all San Antonio citizens can get involved in this historic project.
In order to ensure that the 15–mile linear park created by the SARIP becomes an oasis for San Antonians and a community gem unlike anyother in the nation, the foundation will provide the project with enhancements, such as footbridges, overlooks, pocket parks, a lush grotto, public art, enhanced hike–and–bike trails and educational elements, to complement the eco–system restoration in the south. The foundation will also fund the incorporation of unique historical elements, including a Chinese calligraphy wall from the original HemisFair grounds and artist–inspired portals to link the river to four historic missions.
Over the past five years, theSan Antonio River Foundation has worked with the other project partners during the planning process to ensure that the SARIP goes beyond an investment in flood control, infrastructure and ecosystem restoration. As an advocate for the river and those who enjoy it, the foundation is passionate about preserving and enhancing the historical, cultural, educational and aesthetic character of the San Antonio River and the city itself.
Through the generosity of local corporations, businesses and private donors, the San Antonio River Foundation will secure the elements necessary to take the SARIP to the next level. The foundation’s goal is to raise $50 million by the completion of the project in 2012. After only the first year of fundraising, the organization is off to an impressive start. Withmore than $13 million received in generous donations from local corporations, such as AT&T, the foundation is already more than 25 percent of the way toward its goal.
The private dollars San Antonians donate to the enhancement of the SARIP result in more than just visual beauty and recreational opportunities; they will also help our community flourish. An economic impact study of the project concluded that upon completion, the SARIP will support nearly 10,000 new jobs in the community and inject more than $12 million into the city’s annual tax revenues. When considering the additional benefits brought by new land uses and development along the river, the ripple effects of the SARIP will continue to enrich our city for decades to come.
