Riverwalk and New Stage Design Work Slated for St. Helens Riverfront

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 12, 2021

St. Helens, Ore. – On Wednesday, March 3, 2021, the City of St. Helens entered into a personal services agreement with Mayer/Reed, Inc. to assist with design work, cost estimates, permitting, bid work, and construction management for a two-phased Riverwalk Project. The project focuses on increasing Columbia River waterfront accessibility through improvements to Columbia View Park and a portion of the vacant riverfront property immediately adjacent to the park.

Mayer/Reed, Inc. will assist the City with design work, technical investigation, community engagement opportunities, permitting strategy, and design alternatives for riverfront improvements.

Riverwalk Phase I focuses on riverwalk improvements to the entire riverbank in Columbia View Park and a small section of the Veneer Property south of the park for approximately 300 feet. Design alternatives may include a combination of cantilevered boardwalk structures, hard surface paths, and overlooks. Other elements may include bank stabilization and riparian restoration areas. Design alternatives will include lighting, railing, furnishings, and areas for public art and interpretive signage.

Riverwalk Phase II will provide conceptual design for the remainder of the access along the river to the southern connection with Plymouth Street. This phase will include approximately 2,870 feet of planned improvements. Phase II design work may include additional overlooks, areas for cantilevered boardwalk, and pedestrian access to the river. It will also be designed to connect the South 1st Street extension at mid-block crossings to allow the public to easily access the riverfront.

While Phase I will be constructed after completion of design documents, Phase II design work will be finalized and constructed at a later date.

Design alternatives will also be prepared for a Columbia View Park Amphitheater to replace the existing gazebo stage. The existing terraced seating area built into the hillside will remain. Design work will incorporate an elevated stage, dancing area, quality sound amplification design, and on-site equipment storage options.

The design process includes an initial community engagement event before design work begins. This will allow the community to voice their design preferences. Community feedback can then be incorporated into the proposed design alternatives. A second open house is planned for Fall 2021 for the City to hear additional community feedback on preliminary design documents.

Riverwalk Phase I design and construction is being partially funded by two Oregon Parks & Recreation grants totaling $838,000. The project is part of a larger redevelopment effort to open a large expanse of riverfront property that was formerly private industrial land fenced off from community access. With the City’s purchase of the property in 2015, major planning and design work has taken place to reclaim the waterfront to serve the St. Helens community in new ways. This redevelopment process aims to pay homage to both the past and future of the city by creating new amenities to attract new business and residents to St. Helens and provide guaranteed public access to a larger stretch of the Columbia River.

The Riverwalk Phase I and II Project will run concurrent with a road and utility extension project to extend South 1st Street and Strand Street and bring sufficient utilities to the site for future development.

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For further information regarding the Riverwalk Project, please contact Communications Officer Crystal King at crystalf@ci.st-helens.or.us.