Bradenton wants this part of the Riverwalk expansion to start as soon as possible

The expansion of Bradenton’s Riverwalk could start by early summer.

In 2017, the city purchased acreage just north of Mineral Springs Park with the intent to do improvements at Mineral Springs and to make the riverfront acreage the new east terminus of the Riverwalk.

With the estimated cost at $8 million, depending on amenities, the entire project may be built over the next couple of years. The city has already budgeted $5.5 million in this and next year’s budgets toward the expansion. City officials said there is no longer any reason to wait on the expansion and the long-promised improvements at Mineral Springs.

As part of the project, the developers of the Preserve at Riverwalk apartment complex will pay for the renovation of an existing dock. Also, the developer will contribute $650,000 for improvements at Mineral Springs, on top of the $5.5 million the city is spending.

Project is essentially three-in-one

There are three components to the overall Riverwalk extension. The work at Mineral Springs Park will include construction of either a dry creek bed or an actual creek bed that would use water from the spring as a flow source. The historic well, which was used by Manatee County’s earliest settlers, has been capped for years.

The creek bed would flow from the spring into the newly acquired land where other park amenities are planned. The riverfront acreage is already shrouded with an oak canopy. Shelters and small gathering areas are planned and there will be a creation of a natural shoreline along the river.

A boardwalk is planned along that section of Riverside Drive East to take walkers out onto the water and behind the existing mangroves to get a great view of the complex mangrove system.

There was some question as to the status of the spring since no one has seen it in a while.

“It’s still active but doesn’t have a very big flow, but it never really has,” said Mayor Wayne Poston.

Other low-cost amenities could include game tables, donation library spots, some hopscotch opportunities along the trail and bamboo wind chimes to enhance the natural feeling of the park. Public art will focus on the historic nature of the area.

There is a small peninsula that extends into the river on that acreage, where plans call for a lookout tower, an historic themed plaza and oyster bed restoration. Also, sidewalks will be constructed to link visitors with the new Glazier Gates Park II.

Riverside Drive East

The other separated section of Riverside Drive East, starting near Manatee Memorial Hospital, could also include a new boardwalk on the Manatee River. Those plans aren’t likely to go forward, though, as officials look to trim the estimate of $8.8 million down to size. That boardwalk alone would cost $800,000, though city officials will make that decision at another time.

The existing roads won’t change much, but landscaping and sidewalks along with other familiar Riverwalk amenities such as shaded seats will be improved.

Through extensive public engagement led by Realize Bradenton, the park’s designer, Kimley-Horn, is giving the public what they wanted.

“People want a fairly passive park and not have it event driven like the existing Riverwalk,” said James Pankonin, urban designer for Kimley-Horn.

The Riverwalk connector

It’s the proverbial thorn in the side of a proposal meant to connect the existing Riverwalk to the new Riverwalk and it’s not really connected.

There have been a couple of different options through the process. One option early on was a boardwalk that could connect the two Riverside Drives, which are separated by private land that extends into the river. It’s also an option that would require an extensive permit process that doesn’t promise success.

The less enthusiastic option, albeit apparently the only one, is for those wishing to traverse the existing Riverwalk to the new Riverwalk must head north on Sixth Street East to Manatee Avenue, walk or bike to 10th Street East and south to connect back into the main park.

“it may not be ideal, but it does have some added benefits,” Pankonin said. “While the city may not own the rights along the river right now, it’s what we can do today, but knowing down the line that may change. It also allows the added benefit to get to the antiques district and experience some things that maybe they wouldn’t have.”

Incorporated in the plans — and expenses — are some streetscaping plans to at least make it feel like the route is still part of Riverwalk. That includes new sidewalks, landscaping and improved lighting on Sixth and Ninth streets.

“Manatee is more challenging,” Pankonin said. “Traffic is coming at you. We’d replace the crepes with Royal Palms, do some landscape beds and relocate light poles as close to the curb as possible and use more decorative lighting.”

The connector will be the last portion of the project to be addressed.