Work Begins on Planned Park By Tempe Town Lake: Riverside Could Be Finished As Early As September
By Mike Branom, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz.
May 31–Little by little, the planned ring of parks surrounding Tempe Town Lake is nearing completion.
Work has begun on a ribbon of green space with a bicycle-pedestrian path, which will run along the Salt River from Priest Drive eastward to Hardy Drive. Called Riverside Linear Park, this three-quarter-mile, multi-use concrete path could be finished as early as September.
Other elements of the park include a series of small plazas, landscaped edges, entry point totems and shade structures.
Currently, the path on the river’s south side west of the Mill Avenue bridges starts at Tempe Beach Park and ends at Tempe Arts Center.
“This gives a connection to another street, which will give more people to the pathway,” senior transportation planner Eric Iwersen said.
About the time Riverside is nearing completion, construction could start on a similar park, this one running along the south side from Rural Road to the lake’s east dam.
Funding for the Rio East Linear Park is in place, Rio Salado project manager Nancy Ryan said last week, with an August groundbreaking a possibility.
Once these Riverside and Rio East parks are in place, the paths will be added to the 15 miles of off-street bicycle trails already in place around the city, Iwersen said.
The city also intends to build Playa del Norte Park, which will be located east of the apartments and condominiums wedged in the area between Loop 202, Rural Road and the lake. This grassy area will serve as a recreation area, water retention basin and an amphitheater for performances. The project is still in the planning phase, Ryan said, but funds have been budgeted. It isn’t known when construction might begin.
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