How do you want to enjoy the Mississippi? St. Cloud’s Riverwalk plans to be finalized soon – SC Times

Planned repairs to the roof of St. Cloud's drinking water treatment facility will require the grass to be torn up and allow for development of the riverwalk.(Photo: City of St. Cloud)

ST. CLOUD A new way to embrace the Mississippi River just north of downtown St. Cloud could be open to the public within the next two years.

The city of St. Cloud is wrapping its vision for a Riverwalk into scheduled improvements at the city's drinking water treatment plant along Fifth Avenue North.

The public is invited to attend an open house from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at Whitney Senior Center to give opinionson possible Riverwalk features.

The proposed Riverwalk site has changed since it was first proposed in 2015. Preliminary drawings showed an interactive river channel and swimming area, amphitheater space, a canoe launchand event buildings on the site ofCathedral High School's Rau Field.

The updated plans instead feature amenities near Hester Park including the transformation of the green space on top of the water treatment plant, which is tucked under the turf.

Residents at the open house will be asked about their preferences for the space. That could include music or performance space, benches, flexible lawn space, an athletic field, space for family and community events, and space for picnics, among other things. Landscaping could include a shelter or pergola, a wildlife habitat, a sculpturegarden or other gardens.

Matt Glaesman, community development director, said he expects the council to approve final plans and bids for the project in the coming months.

The roof of St. Cloud's drinking water treatment facility is tucked under green space that the city plans to redevelop as part of a riverwalk.(Photo: City of St. Cloud)

The overall plan also includes the relocation of two lift stations along Fifth Avenue North near Cathedral High School. That project is estimated to cost $1.4 million and is funded by sewer utility revenues.

The water treatment facility improvements are expected to cost $25 million, funded by a state revolving fund. Planned improvements include advanced treatment and disinfection systems.

Tracy Hodel, public services director, said the improvements are primarily related to water quality compliance. Construction is anticipated to begin in the summer and be completed by 2022.

The Riverwalk, which will connect the downtown Beaver Island Trail extension to Hester Park, is estimated to cost$5 million. It will be funded by $2 million in local-option sales tax revenues, $1 million from a grant and $2 million in private donations.

The Riverwalk project is a partnership between Mississippi Partners, Rotary Club of St. Cloud and the city of St. Cloud, among others.

"These are the three things coming together that are creating the corridor improvements," Glaesman said of the projects.

The Riverwalk project also provides an opportunity to restore the eroding shoreline of the Mississippi River and fits with Mayor Dave Kleis' priority to spotlight the mighty river that runs straight through the heart of the city.

Those efforts spurred the Beaver Island Trail bridge, a sloping bridge snuggled up against the downtown riverbank that connects the trail from River's Edge Convention Center to Fifth Avenue North. The bridge, which cost about $8.44 million, opened in October 2016.

The city's comprehensive plan also shows proposals for new riverfront restaurants and hotels along the east side of the Mississippi River.

The city and region has worked to embrace the river as an asset in recent years, with a 2009 regional plan earning St. Cloud the River Friendly City of the Year Award from Minnesota Waters.

"That established a regional vision for how we embrace the river and be good stewards while also using the river for redevelopment purposes," Glaesman told the Times in 2017. "We've certainly made a concerted effort to re-engage the river."

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How do you want to enjoy the Mississippi? St. Cloud's Riverwalk plans to be finalized soon - SC Times