|
Mission of Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale Trust
To be the catalyst in building and nurturing Riverwalk as a vibrant community connected by the New River.
A Brief History of Riverwalk
Legend has it that the Indians woke one morning following a torrential rainfall and violent earthquake to find themselves camped beside a river on a site that only the night before had been dry and rocky. The Indians named the river “Himmarshee” or New River, which became a route for trading ocean catches at the Stranahan Trading Post with the early settlers, and Fort Lauderdale grew up around that site.
In 1986, the dream of a Riverwalk Park became realized with funding from a General Obligation Bond. At that time, Fort Lauderdale residents voted to spend $8 million on the Discovery Center (now the Museum of Discovery and Science) and $7.4 million on Riverwalk Linear Park. The initial seed funding for Riverwalk has encouraged over $1.5 billion in public and private investment and redevelopment along the New River. Riverwalk now hosts many and diverse cultural and entertainment experiences in a Downtown setting, and Riverwalk is quickly becoming home to more than 10,000 new Downtown residents. The Riverwalk now serves as the crown that holds together the jewels of art, history, entertainment, culture, education, and business in our urban setting along the historic New River. As Downtown Fort Lauderdale emerges as a pedestrian-friendly world-class city, look for Riverwalk to play an increasingly important role as a quiet oasis in the hustle and bustle of City life and a vibrant gathering place for our emerging community.
The Riverwalk Trust
In December 1988, the City of Fort Lauderdale established a non-profit corporation, Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale Inc. to raise funds to promote and enhance Riverwalk, which included the selling of Signature Bricks placed in the meandering walkways along the New River. A refocus in its mission charges the now Riverwalk Trust to be the catalyst in building and nurturing Riverwalk as a vibrant community connected by the New River. Our mission fulfillment may be divided primarily into five categories: membership, events, advocacy, communication, and fundraising.
We have embarked upon a focused membership campaign designed to recruit members and partners from all segments of the Riverwalk community, encouraging activism, involvement, and the exchange of new ideas. Riverwalk Trust currently presents and promotes several events in the community including a bi-annual Get Downtown and a yearly Riverwalk Tribute honoring a community leader. We are actively planning events like simple meet and greets with new residents and casual get-togethers in order to engage community members. Membership retention is an ongoing by-product of our special events.
Riverwalk Trust has an active Master Plan & Projects Committee that reviews proposed development adjacent to the Riverwalk Park and spearheads advocacy for items such as Riverwalk Park completion, programming, capital improvements, day dockage, and enhanced maintenance and security. Riverwalk Trust along with their Planning & Sustainability Committee recently finished Riverwalk 2020 Plan/a sustainability framework of sustainability principles for Riverwalk Park.
The Go Riverwalk magazine, weekly e-mails, and website communicate news, events, and issues occurring within and affecting the Riverwalk community. Over late summer, we will be publishing a Go Riverwalk City Guide, the official guide to the Riverwalk community.
In addition to revenue generation from the above mentioned activities, Riverwalk Trust generates funds from Signature Brick sales (over 24,000 sold), civic partnerships, and from corporate sponsored banners that line the park.
The Riverwalk Trust Board is comprised of a dedicated group of concerned private citizens and business leaders constantly seeking continued support from merchants, government, businesses and local Fort Lauderdale and Broward County residents to complete and enhance this community project. The Riverwalk Trust is working to fulfill our mission of “a downtown community connected by the New River” through connecting businesses, residents and workers in the Downtown area. We encourage you to help achieve our mission by becoming a member of the Riverwalk Trust, and by spreading the good news about the great things going on at Riverwalk in Downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Supporting the Riverwalk Trust
Obviously, this is an exciting and important time for the growth and development of Riverwalk, and we are continuing our efforts to guide and facilitate the emergence of Riverwalk as a unique downtown community. We strive to be the lead organization in supporting Downtown merchants, restaurants and cultural institutions, establishing the framework for an emerging residential community, and creating Design Guidelines to preserve and protect the unique character along the New River.
We seek support from the community we serve in the form of sponsorships and memberships. Members receive exclusive benefits including: Riverwalk publications, Riverwalk e-mails about upcoming events, discounts on Riverwalk merchandise and activities, invitations to exclusive special events and special recognition as a member. But most importantly, you will be supporting the programs and activities of Riverwalk Trust. For more information on sponsorships and memberships, please contact the Riverwalk Trust at (954) 468-1541.
|
