The Riverwalk is a 32-acre urban waterfront recreation and education park. Publicly owned and free of charge to everyone, it is the heartbeat of downtown. Over 250,000 visitors each year enjoy the beauty of this special place and you can make a difference! Let's Raise the Rooftop at the Riverwalk!
"The Riverwalk is a beautiful place to walk with art to enjoy, places to eat and places to drink. There are benches located all along the way to sit and to rest, if needed. There are also gondola and a boat to ride at a decent price." - Tina Wilson
"It's a great experience with lots of history I didn't even know about Pueblo. I did the boat ride and learned so much. I recommend it for everyone! Even for people from other cities in Colorado and other states." - Toni Marquez
"I enjoy going to the riverwalk quite a bit. I walk my dog there and I have eaten at all the restaurants. What I also really like is how clean it is all the time. I will continue coming here. I love it! â¤ï¸" - Laurie Ward
"I love it, it's a beautiful place to walk with kids, family, or just to go and relax sit on the grass and enjoy an ice cream, watching my kids rolling on the grass hill" - Martha Vian Morales
"The riverwalk in Pueblo is a surprising oasis where you can relax and enjoy good food! Very well done Pueblo!!" - Doug King
"My family loves the Riverwalk! It is the best place in Pueblo to go for live entertainment, delicious food, seasonal events and beautiful views while strolling beside the slow flowing water. We highly recommend visiting this peaceful but highly entertaining attraction in our city!" - Amanda Colletti
"Love the Riverwalk! A most beautiful, peaceful and safe place to share with family and friends! Pueblo's Riverwalk has become a favorite location in our beautiful city!" - Patsy Lopez
"I come into Pueblo from out of town to visit this area. The Riverwalk is lovely and peaceful. A great place to sit and have a bag lunch and relax. The sculptures throughout the walk give the feeling that you're seeing part canal and part museum. Beautiful work of wildlife and of people using the park (children with hoses in bronze). We happened to go last time before heading to the Pueblo Chile Festival, which was a nice way to start the morning before the hustle and bustle of the festival itself. There is a boat that takes visitors along the Rivewalk waterway, and many times entertainment at various pavilions along the walk." - Pauline Easter
The mission of the HARP Foundation is to secure funding to enhance and enrich the infrastructure of the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo (HARP) and transform it into a cultural, educational, economic, recreational and social centerpiece for the citizens of Southern Colorado.
In 1991, a coalition of interested citizens conceived the creation of a Riverwalk through downtown Pueblo, Colorado modeled after the famous River Walk in San Antonio, Texas. These citizens labeled the project the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo (HARP). In 1993, the City of Pueblo formed the HARP Commission to initiate a citizen-led fundraising drive and to oversee the construction process of the city-owned project. Upon completion of Phase I construction, the City of Pueblo dissolved the HARP Commission and a new entity, the HARP Authority, was formed through an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Pueblo, Pueblo County, Pueblo Board of Water Works and the Pueblo Conservancy District to assume responsibility of the daily operations of the Riverwalk.
The HARP Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was created on February 28, 1995, for the purpose of soliciting funds from the public and private sectors to help finance the beautification of the Riverwalk and enhance its basic infrastructure. In November of 1995, the citizens of Pueblo passed a 20-year, $12.85 million bond issue to build the basic infrastructure of the Riverwalk. Groundbreaking for construction took place on September 27, 1996. The HARP Foundation officially kicked off the initial capital campaign on August 15, 1996, and completed raising the needed $8 million to complete phases I and II of HARP by the fall of 2000. HARP was officially dedicated and opened to the public on October 6, 2000.
Twenty years later, the Riverwalk continues to engage and delight visitors. Phase III was completed in the summer of 2020 with the opening of Gateway Plaza and Heritage Plaza. These community spaces link the Convention Center to the Riverwalk and provide access to the restaurants and businesses as well as to the Goodnight-Loving Sculpture Trail, chuckwagon themed play area, and other amenities throughout the Riverwalk.
COMING SOON! Phase IV of development will extend the channel towards Santa Fe Ave. and build a unique boathouse with an open-air rooftop deck for public and private events overlooking the Riverwalk. The Riverwalk continues to provide opportunities for growth and economic development while staying true to its purpose of serving the community as a welcome place for visitors from near and far and as a haven for outdoor gatherings and community connection.
Organization name
HARP Foundation
1995
Tax id (EIN)
84-1308918
Category
Community Improvement & Capacity Building
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
125 Riverwalk PlaceHeadquarters
125 Riverwalk PlacePueblo County, CO, US