St. Charles’ heritage, commerce, beauty and community pride are deeply rooted in the Fox River. It is the community’s most recognizable and important natural asset. Considering the importance of maintaining this invaluable community asset, The River Corridor Foundation was formed within the Community Foundation in 2015 to “support and advocate for projects that will enhance the downtown St. Charles riverfront environment as a destination for cultural, educational, recreational and economic opportunities that are accessible to all.” The Foundation is comprised of volunteers who develop a master plan, work with and pull together resources from public agencies and community organizations, and funding alternatives to identify and execute these projects.
The River Corridor Foundation of St. Charles supports and advocates for projects that will enhance the downtown riverfront environment as a destination for cultural, educational, and economic opportunities that are accessible to all. In order to carry out this mission the Foundation will:
- Financially support projects
- Review and evaluate ideas
- Collaborate with others
- Identify and plan enhancements
- Create awareness of the importance of the river corridor
For more information on the River Corridor Foundation of St. Charles, please visit their website.
Via Patch.com:
A new plan is taking shape for the future of the Fox River in St. Charles.
A grander plan that called for changes along the riverfront that would transform the area into an international, tourist-based destination has been swapped out for a proposal that calls for beautification of the riverfront and updates that would please local residents, according to the Chicago Tribune.
That includes a paddling course for rafts, canoes and kayaks; modification of the current dam downtown that would allow for wildlife mitigation; bike paths on both sides of the river; and the addition of sprinklers in a small water playground, the newspaper reports.
“People don’t really want the city to be too much of an attraction, or something like Wisconsin Dells,” said John Rabchuk, chairman of the Active River Task Force. “They want to be somewhere where they can live and work and still have some recreation, whether it’s walking, peddling, fishing or paddle boarding.”
Before, the task force was looking to create a white-water facility for large-scale competitive rafting, canoeing and kayaking but that is no longer in the works for the city, according to the article.
