Very Brief History of the Riverwalk with Recollections of the Riverwalk 2000

Fundraising Campaign 

by Stephanie Penick, PR for the project, as featured in the Daily Herald, June 19, 2001.

The other day I received an email from someone who was concerned about the location of her brick on the Riverwalk. "I don't want to be a pain," she said. "But my brick has sentimental value."  As keeper of the books for 1183 Riverwalk brick orders in 1997, I began to reminisce about some of thoughtful messages that will be included in the dedication this Thursday during a brief ceremony at 6 p.m. along the new extension.

Then I flashed back to April 20, 1996, when Riverwalk Commissioners Frank Allston, Ruth Fawell and Al Rubin invited the public to the "Riverwalk Renaissance," a project to raise funds for the extension from Washington Street to Hillside Road.  They had sentimental thoughts about the initial Sesquicentennial Riverwalk project in 1981, when Naperville's population was about 43,000.  Back then, good-natured folks rallied together to celebrate Naperville's first 150 years with pageants, parades, parties around a theme of "Nifty One-Fifty."  To create a lasting gift, the community raised nearly $600,000 to build the brick path along the winding west branch of the DuPage River in the heart of downtown.

From its inception, the award-winning Riverwalk has been the pride and joy of downtown, exclusively the product of local dollars and volunteer spirit.  "Ever since it was conceived," said Allston, who has chronicled its development in words and photos every step of the way. "the Riverwalk has been designated to rejuvenate the downtown area. And it quickly became the crown jewel of Naperville's vast park system."  

Fifteen years later, Naperville's population, estimated at 105,000, had more than doubled.  Allston remembers wondering, "Will the people who didn't donate in 1981, for whatever reason, and all the newcomers wish to contribute now?"  Not surprising, more than 60 interested Naperville residents and business owners showed up for the Continental breakfast in what is now the Alfred Rubin Community Center, named in memory of Rubin (1920-1997) who served both the park district, the Riverwalk and more. Folks were eager to hear details about the proposed $1.5 million extension from the Washington Street Bridge to Hillside Road.  They enthusiastically endorsed the "Riverwalk Renaissance" project and pledged to help raise $500,000 to upgrade and enhance the new ½ mile of basic brick path, matching allocations by each the City of Naperville and the Naperville Park District over five years.

A steering committee emerged with Ed Channell and Glen Ekey as co-chairmen, and the name changed from Riverwalk Renaissance to "Riverwalk 2000," providing a target date for completion. That's when I joined the committee, and for nearly 10 months, we met to carefully craft a campaign that included commemorative plazas, gazebos, gardens, benches, trees, lights and bricks to enhance the design by architect Peter Crawford.

On February 26, 1997---probably the most frigid day that winter---we set up a tent on Dean's parking lot to launch the campaign with a "Brick Sale."  "Leave a memory on the Riverwalk. Buy a Brick! $100," we advertised.  The Daily Herald and others embraced the idea of the "path of memories" and our generous community again followed in support.

The Rotary Club of Naperville, the Naperville Jaycees, the Naperville Masonic Temple, the ten children of Jim and Virginia Wehrli, Edward Hospital, Nicor, Naperville Gardeners Club and MidAmerica Bank supported the plazas, gazebos and gardens.

Jim Moser pledged to provide materials to build the covered bridge, a project his four children later finished for him after he died.  And more than 40 other major donors invested in the community treasure as well.

On July 5, several days after the self-imposed deadline of June 30, 1997, the Riverwalk 2000 campaign surpassed its goal with more than $510,000.  Channell jested to Commission Chairman Cliff Preston that "several rain days" in June had delayed our reaching the goal by the due date.  When the capital campaign ended, the Riverwalk Foundation began, serving as a conduit for future fund-raising. Soon after Eddie Bauer came to downtown Naperville, and the newcomer became the first business to donate to the new foundation.  

Commemorative brick sales continued to be brisk until the final deadline on June 30, 2000, tallying up more than 1,600 sentimental messages along the scenic path.

And there's so much more!