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About RiverEdge Park

Part urban and part natural, RiverEdge Park will provide something for everyone, including mother nature. The Park will be designed utilizing green technology and sustainable practices, adding to our quality of life.

Major elements that will make RiverEdge Park the centerpiece of our community include:

Wilder Park / West River Edge

On the site of the former City of Aurora police station new parkland will be opened up allowing for dramatic vistas down to the river from the west side neighborhoods and providing a connection to the park and river. This area will be designed for picnicking, gatherings, a weekend market and special events staging.

River Crossing / Blues Island Preserve

The central focus of the park is a new river crossing. This will take the form of an iconic pedestrian bridge. The bridge’s curved main span is supported by a single mast cable suspension system. The arc shape of the bridge is duplicated on both river shorelines in the form of a curving boardwalk. The bridge embraces the river. Blues Island will be restored; exotic plant species will be removed and replaced with native plants. The island will then function as a mid-river nature sanctuary.

Garden Market and Event Space

The garden market and event space will form an eastern gateway to the park. It will be composed of raised planters forming a weave of pathways and spaces that gently slope down to the river. This space will also house a weekend market. Both urban and natural in form, the garden and its market act as a transition from the city to the naturalism of the park.

Outdoor Performance Venue and Lawn

The outdoor performance venue is the major functional element of the park. It acts as a platform from which visitors can experience cultural events, the natural setting of the river and the vibrancy of downtown Aurora. It is shaped by a colonnade of pylons which define its seating bowl and support a sophisticated sound system. The lawn will serve as a flexible venue for large concerts and picnics.

Indian Creek Wetland / Environmental Center

At the north end of the site, Indian Creek flows into the Fox River. A new wetland will be created at the mouth of the stream, restoring it to its more natural form. This wetland will serve as compensatory storage for rainwater, allowing other park elements to be constructed in flood zones and providing an urban wildlife area and environmental education center. Possible demonstration project showcasing cutting-edge techniques for water quality and habitat enhancement as well as environmental education.