On September 18. 2024, City Council approved a proposal from RVi Planning +Landscape Architecture, in the amount of $226,000.00, to provide Final design, bidding, permitting and construction services for Riverside Park. The final design was presented at a City Council Meeting this past week.

RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture has proposed a list of renovations for Riverside Park, beginning with replacing the event lawn with artificial turf. The grass has been replaced a few times over the years but can not withstand the high foot traffic of visitors- which is a good problem to have! Riverside Park is a popular spot for events, but even on an average night, you’ll still find families playing soccer, couples having picnics, and visitors taking in the scenery. The new turf will be able to withstand foot traffic and avoid replacement costs down the road.

Another notable change to the landscape will be relocating the beautiful live oak in the middle of the park. The oak stands proud in the center of the event lawn but blocks the view of the stage from onlookers. Rather than cut the tree down, the city has decided to uproot it and replant it towards the Northend of the park. The new site plan also includes expanding the walkway around the park to accommodate vendors for events, adding new paved seating areas, and making other small improvements matching the new downtown aesthetic.

These renovations will improve the park’s function for events and daily use. Upon completion, we will likely see bigger events coming to Downtown Bonita Springs. A timeline has not yet been given for the renovations, but we will update this article when new details are released. To stay up-to-date on upcoming events and noteworthy news across SWFL, subscribe to our newsletter!