Forum and U-District Partnering with City on Design of Iron Bridge Gateway Project

The Spokane River Forum and U-District are co-funding Phase 1 design of the Iron Bridge River Gateway Project. Located adjacent to Iron Bridge and the Centennial Trail on City of Spokane Parks and Recreation property, the project will feature put-in and take-out access to the river. Importantly, it will also reimagine and restore the shoreline and surrounding areas for students, the local community and visitors.

Forum Executive Director Happy Avery said, “It’s really the beginning of a long-term commitment to rewilding these river reaches from Mission Bridge to Division Street Bridge.”

“Rewilding” refers to imaginative river restoration practices in urban areas. To learn more, Gonzaga is hosting a book reading and panel discussion on October 22nd at 6:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Click here to register.

Designers of the Iron Bridge project are working closely with the Spokane Parks and Recreation Master Plan, the city’s The South Logan Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Project that supports connectivity and livability, and the University District’s U Vision 2044 Strategic Plan that prioritizes regenerative, nature-based projects ideas. Public meetings are being planned to ensure all voices are part of the process.

Said Avery, “The U-District, Parks and Recreation, and local neighborhoods are on the cusp of creating something uniquely Spokane that speaks to our highest aspirations for environmental restoration, urban living and cultural connectivity.”