SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who is expected lay out a funded plan to revamp Old Sacramento's Waterfront, says he's got big plans to bring the area into the modern age.
Steinberg told ABC10 that the plan has been in the works for decades, even recently asking people to send in proposals for changes. And the people responded.
“It was unbelievable," Steinberg said. "More than 10,000 were submitted." At Thursday's event, Steinberg will lay out his new funded plan called the "Destination Sacramento Fund," which would fund projects to upgrade several locations along the Sacramento River.
The announcement will lead to a city council vote on Tuesday to set up that fund.
“All great cities do it and we need to start,” he added. He added Old Sacramento is a wonderful and historic place, but people want and should have access to the river. “They want to be able to dine along the river, be able to gather and have a place for families and water features for kids,” he explained. His plan would include those upgrades to the waterfront.
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A big concern for many is losing Old Sacramento’s historic look. Although he wouldn't share the exact design, Steinberg admitted people should “expect a big change,” but Old Sacramento will still be recognizable.
"We can maintain the historic nature, but I also think that Old Sac needs to refresh, it needs to be modernized, no question about it,” Steinberg explained.
Janie Desmond Ison has owned Steamers, a restaurant in Old Sacramento, for 25 years. Through her years working at the historic site, she’s noticed constant evolution. She said revitalizing the riverfront has always been on Old Sac business owners’ radars, “it’s just never been done."
However, she agrees it has always been a challenge to revitalize and develop the waterfront “just because you want to stay true to who you are and what you represent with respect to the history of the region."
“Any time you get to have people, activity, events on the water, above the water or near the water, it’s going to be a draw,” she said.
Mayor Steinberg will be joined by other council members and Old Sacramento business leaders to kick off the free Gather Waterfront at 5:30 p.m. at the Old Sacramento Waterfront.
The event will feature food tents and trucks, communal dining tables, artisan booths, a kids’ play area, a live band and a DJ.
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