Voice of the People
A riverwalk story

I am writing this letter in response to the letter from Randy Wilson, published on Feb. 1, and the letter from Clara Roberts that appeared on March 11. Both letters dealt with the folly and futility of trying to develop the land along the river in downtown Columbus.

Many of their points are valid and certainly deserve consideration. BUT… there is another side to the story, a side that shouldn't be ignored by anyone interested in seeing Columbus grow and develop.

Thirty-five years ago I lived in Augusta, Ga. The Savannah River runs by downtown Augusta. A large levee has been in place for years to protect the city from flooding. At this time the land between the levee and the river was filled with old trees and underbrush. It was home to squirrels, possums, snakes and transient derelicts, a thoroughly unsavory place at best.

Some friends of mine and I felt that the city was ignoring the potential gold mine that was there so we gave a "Picnic on the ground." We invited members of the city and county governments, members of the local arts council and members of the Junior League. We ate, drank wine and talked about the possibility of developing the land along the river.

Three months later, thanks to the Junior League, a children's playground and a wooden performing arts stage had been built beside the river. Today, the Riverwalk is one of Augusta's main tourist attractions, second only to the Masters Tournament. A walk along the river is all that it takes to understand why.

Today, the levee is capped with a black esplanade and has been breached in about seven places to allow easy access to the river. Yes, there are provisions to close the openings in case of flooding. Along the river a path curves through beautifully landscaped gardens with picnic tables and seating.

Beginning at the southern end of the riverwalk and walking north you will see why it is such a valuable asset to the city. The first thing you see is a fine seafood restaurant built out over the water; farther along one will see an excellent marina, large playground for children, a high-rise luxury condominium complex, a beautiful amphitheater built into the levee with a stage built over the water, a Radisson five-star hotel, a nationally known Art Museum and the recently completed Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.

The moneys invested by the city and county have come back to them many times over in the form of increased tax revenues, tourist dollars, and new businesses coming to downtown Augusta. A pretty good return on the investment I would say.

Of course there is no guarantee that Columbus could expect the same level of success. The future, as we all know, comes with few guarantees. But one thing is absolutely certain. If you do nothing, absolutely nothing will happen! If you take the initiative and judge the land along the river in terms of its future potential it's just possible that you may be creating a legacy for the future that will bring pleasure to many generations to come.
John Ralph Idom, Columbus