Other
Riverfront Attractions and Amenities
| An important
part of the completion of the America's River Project is tying all
the pieces together. In planning the new face of the Port of Dubuque,
organizers took the entire riverfront of Dubuque into consideration.
Thus, from as far north as the Hawthorn Street Extension where the
newly renovated Jaycees Trail will begin, down to the Port itself,
the land touching the river will carry the look and feel of the rejuvenated
Ice Harbor (Port of Dubuque) throughout. Below, we highlight some
of these great amenities and discuss their importance to the project
as a whole. |
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Update
- May 10th, 2003
Riverwalk Paved
Not just decorative concrete,
this beautiful stretch of walkway features many
opportunities to descend attractive staris to
the waters edge, peredtrian connections to all
the Major attractions on its route, as well
as many other decorative ammenities. See progress
on the America's River Riverwalk as of May 10th,
2003.
See
the photos and read the datails, CLICK
HERE!
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Update
- October16th, 2002
Amphitheater Completed!
Visit the ribbin-cutting ceremony
of the Allaint Energy Citizen's Amphitheater
and get your first look at the newly completed
entertainment venue.
See
the photos and read the datais, CLICK
HERE!
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Update
- August 15th, 2002
Amphitheater Construction Update!
Construction of the Alliant Amphitheater
speeds along. See construction photos of the
area get an indea for what it will look like
when it is completed.
See
the photos and read the datais, CLICK
HERE!
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Update
- August 15th, 2002
The William M. Black Rides Again!
See images of the historic boat as it leaves it home along the shore
of the Riverboat Museum for the first time in over a decade to make
room for the construction of the wetlands.
See the photos
are read the details, CLICK
HERE!
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Update
- Spring 2002
Work
is underway on the America's River Riverwalk,
a decorative paved walkway that will connect
the Brewery/ Amphitheater, Convention Center,
and Resort Hotel to each other and to the river
itself. Pedestrians will be able to go from
one to another along this scenic walkway while
river travellers will be able to dock at the
water edge and use the Riverwalk as gateway
to the America's River experience and downtown
Dubuque.
See
the photos are read the details, CLICK
HERE!
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The River's Edge Plaza
| Dedicated
in 2001, the first completed feature of the America's
River Project will serve as a docking point for thousands
of annual visitors to enter the Dubuque Community. With
its completion, Dubuque finally has a river side docking
port that gives visitors a beautiful, inspiring image
of what they can expect with their visit to Dubuque. It
also provides an opportunity for residents and visitors
to touch the Mississippi River. The steps that cascade
into the water and the adjoining ramp serve as a conduit
that finally breaches the barrier created between people
and the water since the floodwall was constructed in the
1960's. The Pavilion presents a place to rest, picnic,
and gather while enjoying the breathtaking view at the
Port of Dubuque. |
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Dubuque365.com
was present for the dedication of the River's Edge Plaza.
Click on the links below to view the image archives that
we have created, which capsulate not only the construction
of the area, but also the event where residents and tourists
joined local civic and government leaders as well as The
Governor, Senators, Congressmen and more to christen the
first piece of the America's River Project. A piece whose
completion symbolizes the inevitable fruition of the years
of work which have led up to the America's River dream
coming true. The River's Edge Plaza is open right now
for you to explore and enjoy. Take a moment visit the
Port of Dubuque today. Experience the Plaza and witness
the construction of Dubuque's future. |
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The
Riverwalk & The Jaycees Trail
Tying
together the wide variety of attractions attached to the America's
River Project is the Riverwalk. Strolling atop the floodwall
on a wide paved walkway adorned with decorative lighting,
benches, waste receptacles, and attractive foliage, you will
be able to conveniently access most of the America's River
Project's hotspots by foot. See riverwalk construction photos
HERE!
Update,
August 17th, 2002 - The Jaycees Trail
Will Open Soon.
The Dubuque
Jaycees Trail should open sooner the the November completion
goal, perhaps even in September thanks to great weather. The
existing trail running from 16th Street to Shiras Avenue is
beingÊwidened to 12 feet, with a paved surface, landscaping
and other amenities matching the other improvements made recently
to downtown Dubuque. Plazas and rest areas will also dot the
6,500 foot walking and biking trail. The Dubuque Jaycees pledged
the matching money to make the $330,000 project possible.
It is the largest contribution to the America's River Project
by a local community service organization. The trail will
be part of the Heritage Trail system and will eventually run,
in it's renovated form, from Shiras south to the Port of Dubuque.
| Extending
north from the Port of Dubuque to the Hawthorn Street
Extension, The Riverwalk will combine newly created walk
surfaces with a reconstructed portion of the Riverwalk
that already exists. This preexisting portion of the Riverwalk
is called the Jaycees Trail, named for the group who raised
the matching funds to rebuild it. It will expand from
8 to 16 feet wide which will require extensive amounts
of earth fill. All pedestrian portions of America's River
as well as downtown Dubuque will eventually have a matching
look and feel. |
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Alliant
Amphitheater
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Already
a Dubuque landmark and setting for numerous community
musical events, The Dubuque Star Brewery will
become the backdrop for the Alliant Amphitheater,
an outdoor live music and performing arts venue
carved into the Mississippi River Floodwall. Watch
for the theater to be completed with the construction
of the Riverwalk in 2002-2003.
Follow
construction progress on the
Alliant Amphitheater CLICK
HERE! for 365's photogallery
updates.
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| As
an attraction along the Heritage Trail/Riverwalk,
the theater will be unique in it's accessibility
by car, by foot (from the Riverfront Hotel and Port
of Dubuque area), and perhaps even by boat with
transient boat docking in the area. Plans are still
up in the air as to the future of the Brewery itself.
Whether it will make beer in the future or serve
another purpose is still unclear. However, the structure
will remain and continue to be a familiar and striking
image along Dubuque's shoreline. |
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| Before
the America's River Project it was not easy for the average
pedestrian to gain access to the river. Many visitors,
as well as native Dubuquers wish to reach down and physically
touch the mighty Mississippi River. This is your chance.
Take a leisurely stroll along the Riverwalk and pause
to descend the cascading steps and make the most personal
connection to the river possible. Touch it, dip a foot,
collect some river water and take it home as a souvenir.
Or maybe just chuck a rock in and see how many time you
can make it skip. The experience is up to you. The cascading
steps provide the opportunity; you create the memory. |
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| The
William M. Black, a well-known Dubuque icon which resides on
the National Registry of Historic Places, will be transformed
into a boat (bed) and breakfast where people can come and spend
the night on a real paddlewheeler, sleeping in bunks and having
breakfast in the galley the next morning. This will be a great
destination for area students to come as a class, spend the
night, and live their town's river history first hand. While
spending a night on the boat you can experience the Discovery
Center and other area amenities. See photos of the boat being
moved for the first time in a decade here!
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| For
the first time boaters will be able to dock in Dubuque, step
off their boat, and immediately immerse themselves in the Port
of Dubuque experience. Until now there have been few solutions
for visiting boaters to pull in and make an extended stay in
Dubuque for dining, shopping, or tourism. With the addition
of transient boat docks, a place to park your boat when you
come down (or up) the river, you can now take in Dubuque without
the worry of leaving your boat in an undesirable location. The
image below (left) show one of several proposed docking areas.
These plans may change as the project develops, but rest assure
that the docks will be included in the final plans in some location(s). |
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Heritage
Trail
The Heritage
Trail hike and bike route north of Dubuque, which has recently
been extended well into the north end of downtown Dubuque,
will continue it's trek, stretching all the way to the Port
of Dubuque. Residents and visitors will be able to ride, walk,
skate, even cross country ski along a path that will take
them from countryside solitude to riverside entertainment.
The Riverwalk and Jaycees Trail will serve as a featured leg
of the Heritage Trail network. The images below feature the
trail's extension which has recently been completed and brings
the trail into the heart of downtown Dubuque. Out of town
the trail is sand and pea gravel; in the city, it is paved
and features decorative lighting, seating, and brickwork as
seen in the images below.
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A
Glimpse into the Future...
The
image to the right is an artist's representation of
what the inland portion of the Port of Dubuque may look
like in a few years as activity and tourism business
spreads and occupies more of the peninsula area. Woulnd't
it be great to have a theater at the Port? Nothice the
brick work in the street, a theme that is already taking
hold in downtown Dubuque. Click the image for a large
view of the image.
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