Riverfront Recapture Inc

RIVERFRONT RECAPTURE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE RIVERFRONT PARK SYSTEM THAT SPANS HARTFORD AND EAST HARTFORD. THIS INCLUDES SEVERAL FUNCTIONS FROM DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARKS, PROGRAMMING ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES, AND COORDINATION OF THE PARK MAINTENANCE AND RANGER SERVICES. IN 2021, MORE THAN 672,000 VISITORS ENJOYED THE RIVERFRONT'S MANY OFFERINGS.

ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTS: RIVERFRONT RECAPTURE OFFERS FAMILY-FRIENDLY ENTERTAINMENT IN THE PARKS, RANGING FROM CULTURAL PERFORMANCES AND FESTIVALS TO SPORTING EVENTS. RIVERFRONT RECAPTURE PRODUCES MANY EVENTS SUCH AS THE RIVERFRONT FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL, ASIAN FESTIVAL AND NUMEROUS SMALL CONCERTS AND ARTS EVENTS. RIVERFRONT ALSO COLLABORATES WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO PRESENT A DIVERSE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS SUCH AS THE TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN, WHICH IS A FESTIVAL OF FOOD, MUSIC AND DANCE. RIVERFRONT RECAPTURE ALSO HOSTED THEATER WORKS FOR ITS OUTDOOR PRODUCTION OF THE PLAY WALDEN. THE HARTBEAT MUSIC FESTIVAL IS A DAY-LONG CELEBRATION OF LOCAL MUSICIANS AND IS QUICKLY BECOMING A SIGNATURE EVENT. ALL OF THESE EVENTS ARE FREE TO ATTEND AND IN 2021, THESE ACTIVITIES ATTRACTED OVER 40,000 VISITORS TO THE RIVERFRONT.

RECREATION AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: THESE ACTIVITIES RANGE FROM STRUCTURED PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE COMMUNITY ROWING PROGRAM TO MORE PASSIVE ACTIVITIES LIKE WALKS. THE PARKS, ON BOTH BANKS OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER IN HARFORD AND EAST HARTFORD, AND THE RIVER, PROVIDE VENUES FOR A VARIETY OF LAND AND WATER RECREATION. THE COMMUNITY ROWING PROGRAM SERVES ADULTS AND STUDENTS FROM "LEARN TO ROW" TO MASTERS EXPERIENCE LEVELS. THE SEASON CULMINATED IN THE ANNUAL HEAD OF THE RIVERFRONT REGATTA WHICH ATTRACTED 10,000 PARTICIPANTS AND SPECTATORS IN 2021, RETURNING TO PRE-COVID LEVELS, AND PLACING IT IN THE TOP TEN ONE-DAY REGATTAS IN THE U.S. RIVERSIDE PARK IS HOME BASE FOR THE RIVERFRONT ADVENTURE PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDES A ROPES COURSE AND DRAGON BOATING. THE RIVERFRONT ADVENTURE PROGRAM DID NOT OPERATE IN 2021 DUE TO COVID, BUT SOME LIMITED DRAGON BOATING OCCURRED. NORMALLY, THE MAJORITY OF THE PARTICIPANTS ARE YOUTH GROUPS, BUT COMPANIES ALSO COME OUT FOR TEAM-BUILDING EXPERIENCES. RIVERFRONT ENCOURAGES GENERAL USE OF THE PARKS FOR PICKNICKING, RUNNING, WALKING, BIRD WATCHING, AND BICYCLING, ETC. AND IS AVAILABLE FOR CHARITY WALKS AND 5K RUNS. THE ATHLETIC FIELDS' USES INCLUDE SOFTBALL, CRICKET, AND VOLLEYBALL. PUBLIC BOATING IS POSSIBLE FROM THREE BOAT LAUNCHES. RIVERFRONT PARTNERS WITH A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS AND GROUPS FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. PROGRAMS GENERALLY INVOLVE PARTICIPANT FEES, BUT MANY YOUTH PROGRAMS ARE EITHER FREE TO PARTICIPANTS OR SUBSIDIZED FROM GRANTS. ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES, COMBINED WITH DAILY PARK USAGE ATTRACTED 632,000 PEOPLE IN 2021.

PARK MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY TO EXPAND THE PARK SYSTEM NORTH OF THE BOATHOUSE TO CONNECT TO THE WINDSOR RIVERWALK. FUNDING WAS SECURED IN 2017 FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE RIVERWALK NORTH OF THE BOATHOUSE. THE CITY OF HARTFORD IS MANAGING THE PROJECT WITH A FIRM THAT IS PROVIDING DESIGN AND PERMITTING SERVICES. THE CITY APPROVED OF THE NAMING OF THIS STRETCH AS THE JOE MARFUGGI RIVERWALK TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF RIVERFRONT RECAPTURE'S FORMER PRESIDENT & CEO. A SEPARATE PRIVATE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY TO ADD UNIQUE FEATURES ALONG THE RIVERWALK TO ADD EXHIBITRY AND ART TO TELL THE STORY OF THE RIVERFRONT. CONSTRUCTION OF THIS EXTENSION IS EXPECTED TO BE BEGIN 2022. THIS NEW STRETCH OF RIVERWALK WILL END AT THE BOUNDARY OF LAND AT THE HARTFORD/WINDSOR LINE THAT RIVERFRONT PURCHASED THROUGH A SEPARATE ENTITY, RIVERFRONT LAND, INC. THE NEW PROPERTY WILL ALLOW FOR THE UNINTERRUPTED CONNECTION OF RIVERWALK FROM CHARTER OAK LANDING IN HARTFORD TO THE WINDSOR RIVERWALK AND BEYOND. THE PARCEL WILL ALSO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES AND POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL MAKE THIS LOCATION A KEY ATTRACTION ON THE RIVERFRONT. SEVERAL LARGE GRANTS, STATE AND FEDERAL, WERE SECURED IN 2021 PRIMARILY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION OF THE PROPERTY. THE OTHER MAJOR ONGOING PROJECT IS A SERIES OF IMPROVEMENTS TO GREAT RIVER PARK IN EAST HARTFORD. 2021 WAS SPENT PRIMARILY IN THE DESIGN AND PERMITTING PHASE HOWEVER ALL OF THE LIGHTPOLES IN THE PARK WERE REPLACED. BEGINNING IN 2017, RIVERFRONT RECAPTURE TOOK OVER THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PARK MAINTENANCE FROM THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION. A MAJORITY OF THE PARK MAINTENANCE SUCH AS MOWING, TREE CARE, AND OTHER LANDSCAPING IS PERFORMED BY SUBCONTRACTORS. VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE MAINTENANCE PLAN AS COMPANIES ARE INCREASINGLY LOOKING TO ENGAGE EMPLOYEES ON COMMUNITY PROJECTS. WHILE STILL MUTED BY COVID, THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS GREW SIGNIFICANTLY TO 700 IN 2021 - A LARGE IMPROVEMENT OVER THE HANDFUL OF VOLUNTEERS CAME OUT IN 2020. RIVERFRONT MANAGES THE PARKS FOR THE CITY OF HARTFORD AND TOWN OF EAST HARTFORD. THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE CONNECTED BY WALKWAYS ON THE FOUNDERS AND CHARTER OAK BRIDGES. THE RIVERFRONT HAS BEEN A CATALYST FOR ECONOMIC INVESTMENT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOTELS, A CONVENTION CENTER, A SCIENCE CENTER, AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX, AND HOUSING ON ADJACENT LAND. RANGERS PROVIDE HOSPITALITY AND INFORMATION, IN ADDITION TO CREATING A SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR PARK VISITORS. RANGERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE PARKS ON A DAILY BASIS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. BETWEEN MAY AND OCTOBER, THE BUSY SEASON FOR THE PARKS, THE RANGERS HAVE AN INCREASED PRESENCE. THEY PROVIDE INFORMATION AND DIRECTIONS TO PARK VISITORS, ASSIST WITH PARKING AND BOAT LAUNCH ACTIVITIES, AND ENFORCE PARK RULES. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS TO DEAL WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING WERE IMPLEMENTED FOR PARK VISITORS IN 2020, BUT THE PARKS HAVE REMAINED OPEN AND BUSY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF COVID.