After a year of construction and closures, the newly revamped downtown RiverLoop officially opened on Saturday, October 24 with a personalized tour to over 100 local residents by Mayor Don Walters and other guest speakers.
The new RiverLoop, part of the $7.1 million phase two downtown transformation project, is a three-quarter mile route bringing the riverfront and businesses together. The refurbished boardwalk along the Cuyahoga River includes a new foundation and boards, as well as an ADA-accessible concrete path along the upper route, both offering scenic views, public art, and the wonders of the river.
“Beginning in around 1880, we began looking at our rivers as places where we could throw crap into, and have the river carry it away. That lasted until people got really disgusted, saying ‘You know, we understand there’s economic benefit to pollution, but you know what else? It’s killing us,’” explained Elaine Marsh, Conservation Director for Friends of the Crooked River. “For the last 50 years, we have spent time and effort–and a lot of money in Northeast Ohio alone, over $10 billion, cleaning up our discharges into the river.”
As a result of these efforts, the Cuyahoga River, a body of water that has twice been seen burning, now supports multiple wildlife, including trout and sturgeon–a fish not seen in our river in over 200 years, but also bald eagles and otters.
“It was a real milestone for otters and for conservation, and a real sign of us cleaning up what we have done in the past,” states Dr. Carlos Rivera, Director of Conservation at the Akron Zoo.
Walters led the tour across the upper route where he pointed out landmarks as well as new and existing public art that embodies the history and nature of Cuyahoga Falls. One such mural by April Bleakney resides underneath the Portage Trail bridge and contains mementos of the city’s history and innovation. Across the path, artists Roni Callahan and Kim Lavery, aka Snack Break Studio, have decorated the posts and wall leading down to the river.
Along the steps leading down to the river is the Heart of the Loop, where Mayor Roberts performed the vow renewal of Janet Ciotola and Keir Ulrich on Saturday. The Love Lock fence at the top of the stairs is where couples can add their own heart-shaped locks (available at Reverie) to show their devotion.
Other speakers on Saturday’s tour included Cuyahoga Falls Fest organizer Don Howdeyshell discussing kayak safety, Carl Bachtel, co-host of Inside the Great Outdoors talking about the many fish in our river, and Cuyahoga Falls Library Director Andrew Harant giving a history of the Lenape people who established this area.
A key interactive portion of the trail can be found behind the amphitheater, a music installation of bells available for all to play. To present the instrument, local musician Ben Shuber performed a rendition of AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells.”
According to Mayor Walters, “You’ll hear the river, the water rushing over the rocks. You’ll hear the birds, you’ll hear the crickets, you’ll hear the highway and the trains as well. [Now] you’re welcome to make your own music.”
Visitors can still follow the RiverLoop and learn more about the local wildlife and history of Cuyahoga Falls and the river as they explore the 10 points of interest, including Fisherman’s Pier, Heron’s Crest, and Prospector’s Point, where some have even found gold in recent years.
In addition to the RiverLoop, further South Front Street renovations unveiled this weekend include a new arch near Broad Boulevard. Current renovations along South Front Street are estimated to be 90% complete.
“We knew it had to match this part of Front Street. And it’s been a big year. So we’ve constantly reinvested in our downtown, and my opinion is, it’s the best downtown around,” Walters remarked.
