BY JAMES HANNAH
The Associated Press
DAYTON, Ohio -- Boosters of a proposal to develop the city's riverfront tried to create a wave of excitement for the $25 million project Thursday in hopes of winning the hearts and dollars of the public.
Community leaders held a downtown rally to urge residents to buy walkway bricks at $50 apiece that can be inscribed with their names. They also detailed plans for a rally by the river Sunday in which participants will try to set a world record for the largest stadium-style wave.
"We want everyone to feel and believe they are part of this project because it's a regional project," said Maureen Pero, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership. "We want them to come down to the river, find their brick and know they're a part of this project. Hopefully, they'll use all the amenities down at the riverfront."
The partnership represents businesses seeking to attract and retain businesses downtown. In recent years, several major stores and businesses have closed or left the downtown, prompting city leaders to attempt to revitalize the city's core.
"Right now, we have a river that we turned our backs on," said Ms. Pero. "If you look around the country, communities that have redefined their downtown . . . they focused on their waterfront. Water draws people. It offers the opportunity for all types of activities to bring people back to the core really for social, recreational activities."
The project is to be on an undeveloped riverbank where the Great Miami River and the Mad River meet, just north of downtown. Organizers hope to complete the project by 2003.
The site would include a park, open-air market, skating rink, walkway and retail pavilion. Five fountains in the river would shoot water 200 feet into the air. At night, laser beams from the fountain pillars would bounce off mirrors to create the image of a five-pointed star.
Organizers have already received $3.6 million in federal funds and have raised about 30 percent of the more than $7 million they need in private contributions. The rest is expected to come from other government sources.
