Construction begins on North Central College Riverwalk Park in Naperville

Construction has begun to transform the vacant property at 430 S. Washington St. into North Central College Riverwalk Park, the City of Naperville announced June 16. The site, owned by North Central College, is located on the east side of Washington Street across the river from Fredenhagen Park.

According to the City of Naperville, "When the project is complete, the park will complete a gap in the Naperville Riverwalk system by connecting the south extension of the Riverwalk, Washington Street and the North Central College campus via the Moser Covered Bridge. This project is a result of a 2015 agreement between the City and North Central College and is part of the College’s 2024 Master Land Use Plan and the Naperville Riverwalk 2031 Master Plan to revitalize the Riverwalk. The park will serve as a gateway to downtown, the Riverwalk and North Central College. A beautiful archway at the park's entrance will give North Central College additional exposure along Washington Street and commemorate the park. A plaza will highlight important academic and athletic milestones in the College's history. Other park features include interconnected public gathering spaces, benches and seat walls, accessible walkways and native landscaping. The project is estimated to cost $2.1 million. Funding for this project is provided in part by $1.3 million from the State of Illinois. The remaining funding comes from the City of Naperville Capital Project Fund. Park construction began in late May, and the park will open to the public in late October (pending weather and unforeseen circumstances)."

The park is designed to serve as a gateway connecting the Riverwalk, North Central College, and downtown Naperville. Features will include a commemorative archway at the Washington Street entrance, a plaza highlighting the college’s academic and athletic milestones, public gathering spaces, benches, seat walls, accessible walkways, and native landscaping.

The project is funded by $1.3 million from the State of Illinois and the remainder from the City of Naperville Capital Project Fund. In the fiscal year of 2025, expenditures by the Capital Projects fund in Illinois reached $427 million, according to the Illinois Comptroller's Office.

Construction began in late May, with the park expected to open to the public in late October, pending weather and unforeseen circumstances. Additional information about the project, the Naperville Riverwalk 2031 Master Plan, and the North Central College 2024 Master Land Use Plan is available on the City of Naperville and North Central College websites.