User:Htttps/sandbox/Riverfront Recapture

Riverfront Recapture

Founded	1981
Location	Hartford, Connecticut
President	Michael Zaleski
Website	http://www.riverfront.org/

Riverfront Recapture is a non-profit organization which operates multiple parks and hosts events along the Connecticut River. The organization manages four main parks, consisting of Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, Charter Oak Landing, Riverside Park and Great River Park in Hartford and East Hartford. As well as parks, Riverfront Recapture manages its own rowing program, which is one of the largest and successful in the state.

History

Founded in 1981, Riverfront Recapture, Inc. was created to unite the city of Hartford with the Connecticut River. After two years of planning and various small improvements across the parks, Connecticut Department of Transportation agrees to Riverfront Recapture's plan; allowing for downtown Hartford direct access to the park after reconstruction of I-91. Immediately after, phase 1 of Riverfront's 4 phase short-term plan is set into motion with construction of various pathways, a gazebo, and a new play-escape. After a Connecticut General Assembly decision in 1986, Riverfront Recapture received funding for its second phase of construction: the creation of a completely new Charter Oak Landing, which is completed in 1989. Throughout the 1990's construction for the final phases of this long awaited project commences, with completion of the Downtown Riverwalk Connection, named the Mortensen Riverfront Plaza in 1999. Riverfront Recapture receives an award from the American Society of Landscape Architects for the Mortensen Plaza the next year. With the turn of the century, funding is allotted for construction of a community boathouse in Riverside Park, with a grand opening in 2002, tripling the size of the rowing program. The following years would be met with smaller but prominent upgrades to the park, including the sculpture walk, LED lights, and solar panels on the roof of the boathouse.

Parks

Riverside Park

The largest of the four parks, Riverfront Park is one of Riverfront Recapture's Main Attractions. Some of the features that Riverside Park holds are a boat launch, a play-escape, picnic areas, and multiple fields for a variety of sports. The park also contains the Riverfront Adventure Program Challenge Course, a complex set of rope and climbing courses. In conjunction with Riverfront Recapture's paved trail system, Riverside Park also contains over 4.5 miles of unpaved trails stretching up to Windsor open to the public. Lastly, the park is home to the Greater Hartford Jaycees Community Boathouse housing Riverfront's club rowing program.

Mortensen Riverfront Plaza

Mortensen Riverfront Plaza is the most iconic of the parks, known for its canvas stage at the river's edge. Seated in between Riverside Park and Charter Oak Landing, the plaza was built over I-91 in an attempt to reconnect downtown Hartford to the Connecticut River. With an advanced irrigation system, the plaza allows for natural growth while suspended over an interstate highway. The main amenities in the Mortensen Riverfront Plaza would be the multiple performance stages used for free events, public boat cruises, and the connection to downtown Hartford.

Recreational Programs

Rowing

Riverfront Recapture's rowing program is one of the largest in the region, pulling

External links

• www.riverfront.org