'Rio Reimagined' kicks off public launch
Project to transform 45 miles of riverbed through metro Phoenix; leaders from across Valley commit, sign Statement of Intent
"Rio Reimagined," a forward-looking project to develop 45 miles of the Rio Salado, held its public launch Friday in Tempe as city, county, federal and tribal leaders gathered to review the plan that would turn the mostly dry and unused Salt River bed into a public space supporting social and economic development.
Several hundred people attended the event at the Tempe Center for the Arts, including the leaders of the six Valley cities and two Indian communities along the waterway. Among the speakers was Cindy McCain, wife of U.S. Sen. John McCain, whose interest was key in launching the project.
"This effort will take resources, energy, time and persistence, but ultimately it will enhance the environment, boost our economy and unite our people," she said, sharing a message from the senator. "All of Arizona benefits when we enhance our communities."
Rio Reimagined, which will run from Granite Reef Dam in the East Valley to the Tres Rios Wetlands in Buckeye, will be multigenerational, according to Wellington "Duke" Reiter, senior adviser to Arizona State University President Michael Crow.
Video by Ken Fagan/ASU Now (watch the full-length video here)
A number of stakeholders — including leaders from Tempe, Phoenix, Goodyear, Avondale, Buckeye, Mesa, and the Gila River and Salt River Pima-Maricopa tribes — signed a Statement of Intent at the launch of the ambitious regional project. It's a project that will take time and a lot of ideas, utilizing both university expertise and community input.
"This project to both the senator and us is not a water project," Crow said. "It's not a physical project. It's not an economic-development project. It's a project about the future. It's a project about the future that connects to the past. So it's a project about connection."
MORE: ASU convenes leaders for Rio Salado project
Top photo of Tempe Town Lake by Charlie Leight/ASU Now
More Law, journalism and politics
ASU senior's thesis explores gender, politics and perception
For all its benefits, social media is an environment that remains rife with judgement, especially if you're a public figure, and — according to an Arizona State University student's recent research…
ASU's Cronkite News Phoenix Sports Bureau students gain valuable experience covering major events
Sports journalism students at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication are receiving opportunities that many professional sports reporters envy.…
New podcast is a prize for journalism enthusiasts
Pulitzer Prize-winning writers and judges are receiving a new platform to showcase their work and spark a dialogue about the inner workings of the prestigious award, thanks to a partnership between…