Councillor looks to flush riverfront revitalization project in London

One London city councillor is looking to shelve a project that would revitalize the Thames River’s riverfront.

The Back To The River Project is made up of three different parts: an environmental assessment of the river, revitalization of the South Street hospital lands in the SoHo neighbourhood, and a beautification project at the Forks of the Thames.

Ward 2 councillor Shawn Lewis is taking issue with the latter.

“I’m going to call it what it is: a bridge to nowhere,” he told 980 CFPL.

The design for the project, born out of a London Community Foundation (LCF) competition won by Denver-based firm Civitas in 2015, includes an elevated boardwalk over the water dubbed “The Ribbon,” an open event plaza, and scenic outlooks along a five-kilometre stretch of the Thames River. Lewis points out it wouldn’t be usable year-round.

“We would be talking about a project that is essentially unavailable four or five months of the year, during winter,” he said. “You can throw in another month during the spring because as most of you know, Harris Park has a good habit of being underwater in the spring.”

Lewis also questions its ability — as touted by proponents — to drive economic growth.

“The fountain that sprays water out over the river? That certainly didn’t generate a lot of renewed interest in the Forks. So I’m not prepared to put another $5 million into the Forks at this time.”

The riverfront piece of the project was recently pegged at a cost of $10 to $12 million.

A letter penned by LCF President and CEO Martha Powell tells London’s strategic priorities and policy committee the project is about more than just a “pretty river,” and that it would “stimulate community revitalization and economic investment.”

It goes on to say that LCF has received a number of charitable donations towards the project, including a $3-million estate gift for affordable housing in SoHo, and that they want the city to be a “formal partner” moving forward.