The vision for a more connected downtown Terre Haute and Wabash River started to take shape during a three-day event this week in the city.
The Turn to the River’s collaborative, energetic design/planning session — called a charrette — ended on Thursday with promising new ideas on how to get the city and the people more connected with the Wabash River.
Inside the Mayflower Room of The Hilton Garden Inn, 750 Wabash Ave., artist Stacy Levy and landscape architect John Jackson delivered a presentation that shows the ideas received from the community members who attended the charrette over three days. One of the ideas was the creation of a walking promenade along Wabash Avenue, which is tentatively being dubbed “Wabash Walkway.”
The walkway would pass over Third Street, past City Hall and the government campus and First Street and end on the riverfront. It would feature trees, benches, wayfinding “signs” and artwork. Another feature was an overlook or pier at the end of the walkway on the riverfront. This addition could give a person a chance to look across the river and the feel of “flying” over the river, the artists said.
It could also be an “iconic element” to welcome visitors to the city, Jackson said.
Other suggestions — still geared toward getting people to use the river more — included changes to the City Hall parking lot, a bike path to get to the river and parallel parking along First Street. “We’re gonna move the hearts of people so they want to go see the river,” Levy said. “We’re a matchmaker between the people of Terre Haute and the Wabash River.”
They also suggested activities — such as farmers market and movie nights — to organize in the newly built area. Jackson emphasized the need to have organized programs if the facility does get built. “Make sure there’s something to do” so people would keep using the space, he said.
Nothing is set in stone, but the group’s purpose was to envision the possibilities for that part of the city. “It’s been a wonderful start,” Levy said.
Mary Kramer, executive director of Art Spaces Inc., and a leader of the project said the event has received great attendance from people from all sectors of the community. Approximately 200 people participated in the event over the course of three days.
But the work is not done. Levy and Jackson will now have the task of compiling all the ideas from the event and are later expected to produce a final proposal, Kramer said.