FEATURE FOCUS | Riverfront Fun
Getting Back
Rivers to our
By Lindsey Coleman
You’ve heard the story many times: Fort Wayne was founded on its rivers. With three rivers meeting right in the heart of our city, it’s no wonder that there’s been so much focus returned to those waterways.
For a long time, we took our rivers for granted. However, the three rivers that connect us all - the Maumee River, the St. Marys River and the St. Joseph River - are now bustling with activity and have become the cornerstone of our communities once more. Riverfront Fort Wayne, an initiative of the City of Fort Wayne, is leading efforts in the downtown area to bring us back to spending time on and around our rivers. The goal is an entire district in downtown Fort Wayne devoted to promoting the unique assets our city has to offer - a district that Riverfront Fort Wayne says will have “a personality shaped and sustained by our rivers.” In downtown Fort Wayne, there are loads of riverfront activities, including: • PROMENADE PARK: This public park offers the PNC Playground and Doermer Kids Canal for your littles, the Parkview Tree Canopy Trail for walking, ping pong tables, corn hole boards and a foosball table, rental spaces, and free concerts as part of the Muddy River Concert Series on Wednesdays in the summer. • DINING ON THE WATER: Dine with a spectacular water view at The Deck, or head over to Promenade Park for Trubble Riverside Cafe and Tap, or have a picnic at the Journal Gazette Foundation Dining Gardens. • TOURS: Hop aboard Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation’s Sweet Breeze, an authentic canal boat replica with river education onboard, or book a Rum Runner Party Boat trip for your adult crew to enjoy a beverage or two while floating down our St. Marys River. • BOATING AND BIKING: Our rivers are prime for kayaking and canoeing, and our Rivergreenway lives up to its name by offering opportunities to bike safely right along our rivers. Watercraft and bicycle rentals are offered at Fort Wayne Outfitters or Earth Adventures Unlimited.
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| AUGUST GLO 2022 |
