Mayor John Lash highlights downtown revival, River Edge Park as centerpiece of first year

Mayor John Lash said the first year of his administration has focused on reviving downtown Aurora by increasing events, supporting new restaurants and completing a major renovation of River Edge Park that he said will draw larger performances.

"Downtown Aurora is not just important to me, it's important to the city as a whole," Lash said, citing holiday gatherings, the Paramount and recent openings such as Kai Japanese Kitchen. He said the city has added events like Green Fest, a food-truck festival and planned Dia de los Muertos celebrations to drive foot traffic to downtown businesses.

Lash described River Edge Park as a strategic investment, saying the city spent $26,000,000 to expand capacity, add seating and create backstage facilities that will allow Aurora to book bigger acts. "It'll be opening up here in June," he said, adding that bigger shows will support the broader downtown ecosystem.

Lash also pointed to the newly formed Aurora Downtown District and a downtown special service area (SSA) as tools for business involvement. He said the ADD board will publish financial statements and meeting minutes and hold open meetings even when not legally required to improve transparency.

As part of the first-year review he said the city reopened the old Scitech building for Green Fest and is considering converting it into a multicultural arts center, which he expects will engage local artists and audiences.

The interview closed with the mayor thanking staff and residents for their input and saying he will continue to promote downtown as a hub for culture and commerce.