St. Charles group wants to build riverwalk, paddling course

The economic theory of making the Fox River the centerpiece of St. Charles clashed with scientific skepticism Tuesday night as details of a river walk and paddling came to light.

A crowd of about 100 people, many of whom arrived with kayaks and canoes in tow, congregated around two future depictions of the city at a presentation hosted by the St. Charles Active River Group.

The first showed a half-mile riverwalk starting at the railroad bridge on the north end of the river, traveling south to Main Street (including a pedestrian walkway under the existing bridge) and extending to Prairie Street. The walk contains a series of smaller loops focusing around about a half-dozen plazas and gathering spots that connect into a larger, continuous loop.

The second depiction showed a paddling course for kayaks, rafts and canoes in the area of the river between Main Street and the railroad tracks. This area features a modification to the existing dam, dropping it to about a third of its current height. On the opposite end, by the railroad tracks, would be a new mechanism that would allow for control of the volume of water flowing through the section. Boy Scout Island would also be opened to better water flow, allowing for floating gardens. Another key aspect would be a diverted section of water to feed a family area. Children would have direct access to the water in a splash pad-type setting accompanied by a playground.

“The river is not unique to St. Charles, but how every community utilizes it to their particular advantage is really important,” said Rick Hitchcock, who helped create the Naperville riverwalk and is part of the consulting team behind the vision. “This can be one of the most supercharged attractions in the Fox River Valley and maybe the Chicago metro area.”

But there's a lot that must happen before any of that becomes a reality. Millions of dollars worth of funding over about a 10-year time period is one key piece. Another is making sure the project is technically feasible.

Audience members asked several questions about the process of changing the volume and flow of the water through the city. They also worried about the displacement of sediment to an area closer to Pottawatomie Park.

Hitchcock said his team has experience in similar settings with making the envisioned water uses work. But the final proofs are still yet to come.

“We don't know yet exactly what it will take to manage upstream and downstream elements yet,” Hitchcock said. “The feasibility has to be proven and remains to be proven.”

The consultants, who were hired by the city's River Corridor Foundation, will host another public meeting with city aldermen and park commissioners as the main audience at 7 p.m., July 23, at Pottawatomie Park.