Create Mesa Riverview Lake
Extend the Tempe Lake idea into Mesa. In addition use quaries that have reached the water table. Fill them and use as in town wake board lakes.
James Gifford
shared this idea
Riverview Park improvements included in the 2012 parks bond package are under way. See project updates and current timeline http://www.mesaaz.gov/imesa/meetingitems/3-26-13/ParksBond.pdf
6 comments
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Thetooth
commented
I like the Professor's idea. I think Riverview should be modeled after San Antonio's Riverwalk. A meandering river/canal right thru Riverview, instead of a few parking spaces. The riverwalk could connect Wrigleyville, go under a Dobson Road bridge, up the East side of Dobson, right by Bass Pro Shop and thru Riverview. I just think Riverview Shopping Center was a bust, that could be revitalized with an actual, literal river view.
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Patrick Dockens
commented
Tempe Town Lake already rarely gets used. Why build a copy so close? I would argue that the water be used to develop the Salt River as a river. Allow the growth of large cottonwoods and willows with trails and walkways and the occasional clearing to create a more park-like feel. And maybe allow the gravel beds to fill and create deep fishing holes.
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Professor
commented
I agree. We have a wonderful resource here at Riverview. Could you imagine a small lake with a canal system meandering out of the cleaned effluent (over 20 million gallons per day from the wastewater treatment plant) flowing through a just wide enough waterway that has shopping on both sides along with gondola rides, choreographed music and light show in the lake as a community attraction (of course gently off of the main canal and a lazily meandering flow that allows group (natural gas powered) boat rides up and back along the shop fronts and restaurants. We need to integrate treated wastewater resources with recreation before the water goes to reuse percolation basins. In short the water is borrowed for a short while to integrate the resource into recreation and economic development. Our wastewater treatment plant at Riverview has 20 million gallons per day of treated effluent water that is simply drained into percolation basins on the Indian side of the 202. This could be redirected into a flowing waterway to create the effect on the Riverview side (An island paradise with shops, restaurants, boat rides and even an island) before it is emptied into the percolation basins to refill the aquifer. Additionally, we could use it for the new Cubs stadium to create a kind of Chicago waterfront paradise in Mesa. This water is treated to near drinking water standards so it could surely be used to create a non-swim waterway for recreation.
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Karma Gifford
commented
Have you noticed the quarie next to Mesa Riverview? It's already filling up with water. How about thinking of it as water conservation. In this desert we can always use a place to store the winter run off. Plus the recreational benefits will help the struggling Riverview project.
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David Yauch
commented
It is a nice suggestion, but I can't say I agree with it. Look at the massive costs Tempe has incurred to fill and treat Tempe Town Lake. Many citizens there don't feel it is worth the cost as is, and by adding another lake so close by it is unlikely there would be enough demand to make this a fiscally sound venture. We'd likely make no money from it, and probably would bleed Tempe of funds while we are at it.
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Joel Reed
commented
This would be a good oppurtunity to parter with the Salt River Pima Tribe. They have seemingly had a lot of commercial success on their North Scottsdale border and a partnership to develop the river East out of Tempe would be good for the whole East Valley. The Pima-Mesa extension say up to the Beeline could be pretty wide, it could draw Town Lake users into Mesa and vice versa.
