The San Antonio River Walk

The San Antonio River Walk has been has been the heart of the city for years now. It is world-renowned and draws millions of visitors every year. The River Walk is owned by the city of San Antonio and maintained by Center City Development & Operations. The motivation for developing the River Walk was a flood that occurred in the 1920s that killed 50 people and amounted to $50 million in damages. The city government was in the beginning stages of developing a plan that would convert the San Antonio River into a storm sewer system. This was too be done by straightening the river and using a concrete tunnel to divert the river’s water in order to prevent flooding. Many citizens opposed this idea resulting in the foundation of the San Antonio Conservation …show more content…
He designed several bridges, stairways, plazas and fountains over the years, all of which varied in materials, offering a sense of scale and eccentricity. Hugman’s innovation falls into the category of developers like those of Daniel Burnham and Ebenezer Howard. Who were behind the ideas of the City Beautiful movement, and Garden City and New Town respectively. Today, San Antonio continues to improve and develop the River Walk.

A project started in 1998 that had been ongoing for years was completed in 2013, it restored and enhanced 13 miles of the San Antonio River in directions both north and south the of downtown area. The San Antonio River Oversight Committee (SAROC), a committee that consisted of 22 citizen members, was appointed in 1998 to lead the planning and implementation of the project. $384.1 million was invested in The San Antonio River Improvements Project (SARIP) by the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, San Antonio River Authority (SARA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the San Antonio River Foundation in flood control, amenities, ecosystem restoration and recreational improvements (sanantonioriver.org). SARIP is comprised of four individual …show more content…
It has been completed successfully and has been overall beneficial to the city. This planning project has helped San Antonio environmentally, economically, recreationally, and culturally. Environmentally, SARIP provides stable, maintainable flood control and reclaims the river's natural meanders and appearance along the Eagleland and Mission Reach segments. The project helped reintroduce native trees, grasses and plant life along the river's edge. SARIP has enhanced economic development potential and real estate values. The project has stimulated new development and rejuvenated existing properties along the river while helping reinforce the sense of community in both areas. The development has encouraged job growth and increased tax base for the city, the county and local schools. The improvements to the Mission Reach portion of the project have also supported recreational activities, like walking, bird watching, jogging, bicycling and paddling. The enhancements to the area have also allowed for the use of paddle canoes or kayaks, without lessening the effectiveness of the erosion control. Lastly, the design solutions on the river have enhanced the appreciation and enjoyment that the river's historic significance has brought to the life and development of San Antonio. The project culturally allows for linkage to landmarks apart of San Antonio’s culture like the