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The Riverwalk Foundation mailing address is:

Riverwalk Foundation
c/o Frank Sweeney, Treasurer
Suite 300
401 S. Main Street
Naperville, IL 60540

Gifts of any denomination are always appreciated for educational projects and the enhancement of the Naperville Riverwalk which are not included in annual allocations for capital projects from the City of Naperville and maintenance from the Naperville Park District.

Gifts received after August 1, 2006, will be posted upon request on this Web site. Many generous gifts which have been part of Riverwalk history since 1981 are commemorated along the path and at Fredenhagen Park.

Thank you, Friends of the Riverwalk!

 

 

Naperville is not just a place.
It's a corner of creation graced with
charm and beauty no matter the
weather or season.
When asked for reasons
why I feel the way I do,
I simply say,
"Come and stroll the
Riverwalk with me!"
--by Greg Asimakoupoulos

What's New?

We welcome original poetry about the Riverwalk!

Check our Photo Gallery for new pictures of the Riverwalk throughout the seasons.

For an interactive map of the Riverwalk, visit www.napervilleparks.org/parksfacilities/riverwalk/.

Upcoming Events / Recent News

Find out what's happening on the Riverwalk during Chamber luncheon March 24
The Riverwalk is known as Naperville's "Crown Jewel." Come and find out what changes and restoration plans are in place when Rick Hitchcock, Chairman of the City of Naperville's Riverwalk Commission speaks at the March General Membership Luncheon of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce. Hitchcock's remarks will focus on the renovation plans for the original two-block section of the Riverwalk from Main Street to Eagle Street.

With the construction of the first segment already under way and the second segment well into the planning stages, Hitchcock will highlight the enhancements that are being incorporated as well as the projected timeline for the project.

Sponsored by First National Bank of Naperville, the luncheon will be held at Holiday Inn Select, 1801 N. Naper Blvd. from 11:30AM to 1:30PM, Mon., March 24. The cost is $25 for Members and $35 for non-members. For more information, contact Lisa Livingston at (630) 355-4141.

Annual Riverwalk Spring Spruce-Up Day
This is a day for volunteers to come to the Riverwalk and help out by doing things like mulching, raking and general clean up. The event will always take place from 9AM to noon on the second Saturday in April. This year it's Saturday, April 12. Volunteers should report to the Smykal Free Speech Pavilion near the Dandelion Fountain to sign in and get their assignments. If, at 8AM, the temperature is below 40 degrees or there is measurable precipitation, the Spring Spruce Up event will be canceled.

For more information, contact Riverwalk Administrator at (630) 305-5984 or ericksonj@naperville.il.us.

Riverwalk Bridges will receive new roofs
The Webster Street and Eatery Covered Bridge will be receiving new roofs in the next couple of weeks.

The bridges will be roofed separately, with only one closed at a time. The Webster Street Bridge is scheduled to be closed down daily from Monday, November 26 through Friday, November 30.

The Eatery Bridge is scheduled to be closed daily from Monday, December 3 through Friday, December 7.

The project is weather dependent which may cause the bridges to be affected longer than what is originally planned. The brides will be open each evening and all weekends.

Thanks for your patience during this Riverwalk maintenance project.

Riverwalk Santa House will be open near Webster Street
Visit the Riverwalk Santa House and meet the Jolly Old Elf himself at Jackson Avenue and Webster St . in Downtown Naperville. Hosted by the Naperville Park District. Have your photo taken, too! See Nov. 30 and Dec. 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 for varying times at www.napervilleparks.org.

Celebrate the Riverwalk for all Seasons!

Experience four miles of Riverwalk paths along the DuPage River 365 days a year. A great place to begin your stroll is at Main and Jackson Streets in the heart of downtown Naperville.

For all the downtown shops, restaurants and planned festivities, visit www.downtownnaperville.com.

 

Come take the Riverwalk Renovation Tour!
The Riverwalk Commission would like to invite you to see, first hand, the changes that are planned on the original section of Naperville's "crown jewel." Three dates have been set aside for you to come to the linear park and take a tour of the existing conditions while an explanation of the proposed changes is given.

All tours begin at 9AM.
Please select one of the following dates:
Tuesday, October 23
Thursday, October 25
Monday, October 29

Meet at the Dandelion Fountain on Jackson Avenue at Webster Street.
Respond to Commissioner Annmarie Siwik
(asiwik@dhjj.com or 630.548.5225 )
by Monday, October 22

 

Looking for a special gift for someone who has just about everything?
Give a gift certificate for a commemorative brick ($250) or granite stone ($2,500) for placement around Exchange Club Memories Fountain. If you're considering a granite stone, only 4 of the 40 commemorative stones surrounding the base of the fountain are still available from the Exchange Club/Riverwalk Foundation Campaign. (Another 17 stones will be available after the first 40 are sold.) For all the details and an order blank, click http://www.exchangeclubfountain.org/. Again, gift certificates are available.

Do you have questions about the Riverwalk, Naperville's natural treasure begun in 1981? Call the Riverwalk Administrator at 305-5984.


Riverwalk Documentary now available

The Riverwalk Foundation recently released a documentary titled "Naperville Riverwalk: The First 25 Years." Produced by NCTV17, and funded, in part, with a grant from the City of Naperville, the one-hour documentary highlights the community spirit as witnessed by many visionaries and volunteers on many different levels since the Riverwalk's inception in the late 1970s to become the city's sesquicentennial gift in 1981.

DVDs of the documentary are now available for sale for $15 each.


The Century Walk introduces Riverwalk Visionaries, new to our natural treasure in downtown Naperville.

Begun in 1981 as a gift to the citizens of Naperville in celebration of the city's sesquicentennial year, the Riverwalk is known as the "Crown Jewel of Naperville."

The Century Walk sculpture depicting businessman Jim Moser and Mayor Chet Rybicki is representative of the volunteer community spirit of cooperation that has been the success of the Riverwalk, a private/public partnership in Naperville. "Riverwalk Visionaries," located between Main and Webster streets, was dedicated on May 1, 2006, with approximately 75 people in attendance.


First National Bank of Naperville presents the Riverwalk Fine Art Fair

Look for the Riverwalk Foundation booth during the annual Naperville Riverwalk Fine Art Fair, 10-5PM, Sat. and Sun., Sept. 15 and 16, 2007, hosted by the Naperville Art League.

For more information about the juried art fair, visit www.napervilleartleague.com.



Riverwalk Foundation Launches Design Contest Winner

Shane Sims of Plainfield created the winning design.

Please click here and here for more details


Our mission is to educate, inform
and implement strategies that will
benefit the Naperville Riverwalk.

 

 

Riverwalk Commission Adopts New Logo

Under the leadership of Commissioner Rick Hitchcock, the Riverwalk Commission introduced its new logo during its monthly meeting on July 11, 2007.

After an in-house contest at Hitchcock Design Group to help facilitate designer participation, the concept was created by Lance Theis at Hitchcock Design Group. Naperville resident Ann Moss acted as Creative Director. Both services were pro bono, although Theis won a prize at Hitchcock.

After the new logo and slogan were selected by Riverwalk Commissioner AnnMarie Siwik and Riverwalk Administrator Jan Erickson, who had championed the project, the design met approval by the commission.

Please note the icon for Naperville's natural treasure is in the shape of a leaf with a winding path running through it. An image of a duck also can be seen in the leaf.

Previous Riverwalk Commission logos have included renderings of covered bridges and shepherd's crook lamps.

Look for the new logo on signs around town, printed brochures, letterhead, maps and other promotional materials for the Naperville Riverwalk.

 


Fredenhagen Park Receives "2004 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement of the Year Award - Under $5 Million"

Please click here for more details


Naming Opportunities at Fredenhagen Park

         

          For more information click here

 


Looking to host an event along the Riverwalk?


         For Rental and permit information, contact the Naperville Park District at 848-5000.