Editorial: River park boost
Mountain Mail February 7, 2003

Salida received some good news late last month with the announcement that the city will receive $108,000 from Great Outdoors Colorado for river park improvements.

When added to $60,000 budgeted by the city and $10,000 each from the Arkansas River Trust and the Gates Foundation, the total jumps to $188,000 earmarked for work to be done in and along the Arkansas River and in Riverside Park. These funds will go a long way toward improving the park area adjacent to the Arkansas River.

Until recently, the river in Salida has been a grossly underutilized asset. Where most towns along major streams developed park and trail systems, Salida lagged far behind. Some 20 years ago, public access to the Arkansas in the city was confined to, for the most part, Riverside Park and the F Street bridge.

But in the early 1980s, things began to change. FIBArk sold the old Manhattan Hotel building and put up what’s now the Boathouse. Then a slalom kayaking course was built. In 1985, the Salida Enterprise for Economic Development spearheaded purchase of and improvements to the old Colorado Public Service Co. generating building at Sackett and G streets — the Steamplant — followed by development of the Coors Boat Ramp.

But it’s been in the last 10 years or so that Salida’s river park really started to blossom. The highlights include:

• The Salida Trail started from the old D&RG right of way heading southwest.

• The Steamplant began interior renovations as well as landscaping work to the grounds surrounding the building on down to the river with the Sculpture Garden added along the way.

• The Arkansas River Trust formed, dedicated to improving recreation along the river.

• Work in the river, helped considerably by contributions of Lowry Contracting, brought rocks and a kayaking play hole to the area, making the area north of the F Street Bridge attractive to kayakers.

• Businesses, including the Gary Lacy Building, Absolute Bikes, Bongo Billy’s Salida Café and Headwaters Outdoor Equipment worked to improve the areas between their buildings and the Ark-ansas.

The $188,000 will be used to make improvements to Riverside Park, clean up and grade the riverbank, continue enhancement work in the Arkansas River itself, continue trail development among a host of other specific projects. This will help extend the improvements completed along the Arkansas north of the bridge in the past couple of years to Riverside Park and the adjacent riverbank.

Added up this means Salida’s river park area will extend about four city blocks, from E Street and Riverside Park north to about I Street.

When you look at what this area was 20 years ago to what it will be when the latest round of enhancement work is complete, you have nothing less than a monumental improvement to the city, a terrific asset to be enjoyed for generations to come.

While river park work outlined for the next year or two is significant, the improvements won’t end here. Other enhancements to Riverside Park are in the planning stages. This doesn’t include potential for improvements to the north side of the Arkansas on property now owned by the Union Pacific Railroad.

Jim Elmore, a Salida city councilman, said the work represents basic economic development for the city. Coupled with ongoing renovations at the Steamplant, which Mr. Elmore calls a million-dollar facility in itself, the river and park work already done and that planned for the next year or so, in our estimation adds up to arguably $2 million in total improvement value.

All this has come about through a loose partnership between the City of Salida, local businesses, nonprofit organizations, grants from Coors, Gates, GOCO and others, and hundreds of volunteers contributing thousands of hours of work.

Thanks to all who have helped and all who continue to work at Salida’s river park. Great job!

— MJB