Revamped Veteran's Plaza takes shape along Riverwalk

The first round of renovations to Naperville's Riverwalk is nearly complete.

Crews worked Thursday to install large granite slabs for Veteran's Plaza, which is being redesigned to better honor armed forces from Naperville.

Riverwalk Administrator Jan Erickson said the plaza work is especially poignant following the loss of two servicemen last week with Naperville ties - Marine Lance Cpl. Tony Mihalo and Army Cpl. James M. Hale.

"It will be a beautiful place of honor and reflection," she said.

Work on the plaza is part of a $1.56 million rehabilitation to the original stretch of the Riverwalk between Eagle and Main streets.

The project also includes widening the lower walkway and making it handicapped accessible, improving pedestrian areas north of the Dandelion Fountain and the stairway east of the Webster Street Bridge, combining two narrow walkways into a Grand Promenade and widening the sidewalk along Jackson Avenue, replacing it with brick pavers.

Work began in February and is nearly through, minus some landscaping and installation of railings. Erickson said most of the work should be done in about a week.

The parking lot near the original stretch of the Riverwalk also will be resealed next week and should be complete in time for the Last Fling celebration, which begins Aug. 29.

The next segment of work on the Riverwalk will be east of Eagle Street and west of the Dandelion Fountain. This phase originally was scheduled to begin this fall, but Erickson said she is still waiting for county permits and is unsure exactly when the work will start.