Downtown pedestrian project will include man-made waterway

Diana Sahagun

Friday, Feb. 8, 2002 | 10:15 a.m.

Las Vegas officials didn't show much interest in the early '90s when casino mogul Steve Wynn wanted to transform paved streets into Venice, Italy-like canals.

But some 10 years later the city has plans to construct a much smaller version of Wynn's vision. On Monday officials will break ground on the Lewis Avenue corridor pedestrian project, which will include a small, man-made waterway.

We could call it Oscar's River, Mayor Oscar Goodman says.

"The river has not officially been named, but I like the idea," said City Councilman Gary Reese, who represents downtown. "I think it's unique, and I think I'll take that idea and run with it."

The city plans to turn Lewis Avenue, which links some of downtown's newest projects, into a pedestrian-friendly corridor. The project, expected to be completed in about six months, will be built on Lewis Avenue from Casino Center Boulevard to Las Vegas Boulevard and cut through a parking lot occupied by Metro Police.

The "river" will be 2 to 3 feet wide, 1 to 2 inches deep and run between Fourth Street and Las Vegas Boulevard, said Debbie Ackerman, a spokeswoman with the city's Department of Public Works.

The street will link new and existing downtown projects, including the Regional Justice Center, the historic Fifth Street School, City Centre Place and the Lloyd George federal courthouse.

A $1.8 million grant for the Department of Transportation will help fund the project, which will include wider sidewalks, large canopy trees, covered walkways, decorative lighting, benches and kiosks. The city provided $28,000 for the project.

Local poets have provided inscriptions to be engraved into a concrete bridge spanning the river.

Nancy Deaner, cultural supervisor for the city, said 20 poets were chosen by the Las Vegas Arts Commission to provide text, and she hopes the inscriptions will encourage local artists to hold poetry readings near the waterway.

"We really liked the idea of the word being so connected to the Lewis Street corridor, which is connected to the federal building and the Regional Justice Center, so its all about the words," she said.

Reese said the project will encourage downtown workers to congregate in the afternoons and help create a sense of community.

"Steve Wynn talked about having canals downtown when I was on the Planning Commission, and I thought how stupid that was," he said. "Now that I've been involved in what we're trying to create downtown, I think it was a great idea."