Littleton wants better public access to the South Platte River to be part of the city’s effort to make the natural amenity more of a driveway to the community than a back door.
That updated view is enshrined in the city’s recently-revised comprehensive plan and has directed the city to think of two projects, one at the shopping center Riverside Downs and another at Reynold’s Landing Park.
Littleton Councilwoman Debbie Brinkman is a member of the South Platte Working Group , a driving force behind the projects. She said the city envisions a blending of the Mary Carter Greenway Trail with access to the shopping center to allow for more recreational use of the river.
She said there will probably be a bocce ball court near the river, seating areas and outdoor art, designed for shoppers to enjoy nature, perhaps with a drink.
“It’s just to make it a nicer area for people to sit and enjoy,” Brinkman said.
South Suburban Parks and Recreation District will manage the project after it is built.
Executive director Dave Lorenz said he also hopes the project will allow people to play in the river.
“We really don’t have that much of an opportunity on the South Platte River (for water play) so we’re trying to change the nature of recreation there,” he said.
Brinkman envisions picnic tables and more opportunities for tubing, kayaking and fishing. Both projects will include larger parking lots, nicer bathrooms and more integration of the nearby trails with the river.
The Reynold’s Landing Park project is designed to bring more traffic to and from the new Breckenridge Brewery, as well as take the pressure off the Carson Nature Center as an entry point to the river.
That project is proposed to cost the city $1.1 million and still must be approved by council.
Littleton has proposed spending $900,000 on the Riverside Downs project, with the same amount coming from matching funds through Arapahoe County Open Space tax money. The project needs city council approval before it goes to South Suburban, the Colorado Water Conservation Board and possibly the Army Corps of Engineers.
If plans are approved and the work is done, there is potential for an economic boost to the city.
Jonathan Bush, principal with Littleton Capital Partners, which manages the 100,000-square-foot mixed retail and office center at Riverside Downs, said he would like to see an amphitheater for live performances. .
“It’s to be able to enjoy an enhanced environment along the river,” Bush said. “It’s just an opportunity for people to gather and recreate.”
Clayton Woullard: 303-954-2953, cwoullard@denverpost.com or
