Riverside - January-February 2022

L O C A L R E A L E S T A T E Riverside’s proximity to the Santa Ana River is the reason for its namesake. The impressive gateway to the city, originally built in 1923, is the Mission Bridge which extends over the river and up into the city through the Buena Vista Bridge. The significance of the Santa Ana River Watershed, which extends from the Pacific Coast to the San Bernardino Mountains, is sometimes lost to the residents of Riverside. Our city is blessed with a 10 mile stretch of land encompassing 250 acres of city-owned property along the Santa Ana River’s natural habitat. Long before the city of Riverside was established, the watershed sustained regional indigenous tribes as well as diverse flora and fauna along its banks. Over the years, the beauty of the river has been lost and neglected as dams and channels changed its shape. It also became exploited for industrial and undesirable uses such as landfills. The city has lost touch with the river, and is now actively looking to bring the river back into Riverside. The Riverside Gateway Project Suite is a proposal to “recover, re-conceive, and re-engage” with the Santa Ana River. According to the City’s site analysis for the project, this presents “a phenomenal opportunity to resuscitate older interactional patterns between the city and river, while adapting those resources to modern life.” The project, which is funded in part by the State Coastal Conservancy, will focus on 8 locations which include current parks such as Martha Mclean Anza Narrows, Loring Park, Camp Evans at Fairmount Park, and Carlson Dog Park. These areas will incorporate existing structures such as the historic Saint Francis Falls at Carlson Park and augment them with new features such as research stations, sensitive area walkways, water play areas, and even reserved camping sites. The Riverside Gateway Project Suite is part of a comprehensive effort by cities and counties along the Santa Ana River Watershed, orchestrated by the California State Coastal Conservancy. It is exciting to know that Riverside is an integral part of this revitalization, creating a string of parks along the river. This will be a “citywide park that provides places to find the peace and harmony of nature within or on the edges of the City’s urban fabric.” We look forward to hearing more as the plans for these projects move forward. Put the “River” Back in Riverside Coldwell Banker Realty | Charlotte, Bob, & Connie www.ransommckenzieteam.com Written by: The Ransom-McKenzie Team 20 | YourVilla Magazine 951-961-8864 www.paramountlandscapeinc.com Licensed | C-27 License #926661 PARAMOUNT LANDSCAPE & IRRIGATION INC. LANDSCAPE Landscape Design & Installation Irrigation Installation & Repair Landscape/Mow Curb Installation Premium Synthetic Turf Commercial & Residential LIGHTING Pathway | Planters | Trees High-Quality Lighting Fixtures Zac Reish IMPROVING YOUR POINT OF VIEW! Recipient of Sustainable Landscape Design & Installation Award for Keeping Riverside Beautiful & Clean. SOFTSCAPE & IRRIGATION SPECIALISTS