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City presents River District feasibility study to reconnect Riverside neighborhoods to the Santa Ana River
Summary
Parks director Pamela Galera outlined a feasibility study to develop a River District—about a half-mile from the river comprising 800+ acres of city-owned lands—with phased park, trail, and gateway projects, grant-seeking, CEQA certification and community outreach; councilors emphasized the plan is a long-range roadmap, not immediate construction.
Pamela Galera, Riverside's director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, presented a River District feasibility study to the City Council on Oct. 28 aiming to "put the river back in Riverside." The study looks at roughly 800 acres of city-owned parklands and other public parcels within about a half-mile of the Santa Ana River and proposes phased gateway projects, trailheads, park improvements and tributary connections.
"It is our effort to put the river back in Riverside, and our goal is to plan and build a viable public realm that will connect the community to the river," Galera said. She told the council the draft document is available online for public comment and that the city will pursue CEQA certification and grant funding for early gateway projects.
Galera said outreach included community meetings and consultation with indigenous tribes and that the goals include environmental and fiscal sustainability, programming for families, and measures to prevent dumping and off‑road vehicle use. She noted that water-contact uses remain a long-term and complex prospect given safety and regulatory considerations.
Council members and callers expressed broad support while urging clear public education about timeframe and scope. Councilmember Falcone emphasized the plan is a "road map" to be used when grants become available rather than a commitment that construction will begin immediately. Callers raised aesthetic and environmental concerns including the visual impact of transmission lines along some river corridors; staff said a regional river summit convenes cities, counties and agencies to coordinate topics including water quality and fire prevention.
Next steps include public outreach on the draft, finalizing CEQA work when appropriate, and pursuing grant opportunities for phased gateway projects.
