Take a walk by the river as the area once known as Front Street is transformed into the Centennial Riverwalk. The finished product will provide beautifully landscaped public spaces with views of the Nooksack River and Mount Baker for all to enjoy while attending street fairs or public markets, pausing by the fountain or studying the hand-carved native totems. Photos document progress as Friberg Construction completes this work on behalf of the City.
Click on the left and right sides of the picture to move forwards or backwards through the picture show.
Future site of the Centennial Riverwalk (looking South)
A decommissioned pump staion sits along Front Avenue.
The south end of the project, with a view to Pioneer Park.
A sidewalk will be installed on Cherry Street.
Looking north along the river dike on Front Avenue.
BNSF's bridge & the Ferndale smokestack in the distance.
The north end of the Riverwalk ends at Main Street.
Grass and weeds line a deteriorated Front Avenue.
A view from the Main Street Bridge, looking south.
Crews begin excavation in June.
The future site of Maple Street Park from the Riverwalk.
A rain garden is installed to treat stormwater runoff.
Two houses must be demolished as part of the project.
Silt fence (left side of photo) has been installed.
Siding is removed prior to demolition.
The City's Maple Street sewer pump station is also removed.
Underground utilities are installed in the alley west of Front.
Pipe is installed with locate tape and pea gravel.
Photo shows the alley between Front and First, looking south.
The rain garden near Maple Street.
This area once housed a sewer pump station.
A concrete block wall is installed west of Front Avenue.
The area behind the wall will be filled and raised.
Eventually, the Riverwalk will match the levy height.
View from the Riverwalk toward Central Elementary School.
Crews prepare to install more block wall.
Blocks are made to look like smaller individual stones.
View from alley, southwest to Front Avenue and Cherry Street.
Future location of parking lot at Maple Street.
A steel plate covers an open utility trench.
Filter fabric, drain rock and pipe are installed.
Front Avenue and Alder Street, looking south.
Stakes are placed to mark the edge of the riverwalk.
The future site of Main Street Plaza and fountain.
The block wall installed west of Front Street stretches north.
The wall faces west, Nooksack River in the background.
A precast block wall sits on its crushed rock base.
Back of finished wall along the new Riverwalk.
Some of the old asphalt is removed to install utilities.
House demolition day.
A second house must also be removed.
Unwanted or unusable material is hauled away from the site.
An excavator is used to remove the structure.
The bucket and thumb are used to pull apart walls.
Sidewalk Superintendents oversee the demolition process.
This house site will be the new plaza and fountain area.
An excavator reduces the structure to manageable pieces.
Nearly done with demolition.
Front Avenue house removal.
Looking west from Main Street Bridge toward Lyndale Glass.
Future site of Maple Street Park (parking lot in background).
Photo looks toward south, just east of the alley.
The alley between First and Front has been graded.
Block walls and the heavy equipment used to construct it.
Crews work in the background on the Riverwalk Project.
The top of the levee is graded, and crews fill behind the wall.
Silt fence (right) is used to block stormwater runoff.
Do you see Main Street in the background?
An operator cleans up after demolition and piles waste.
A large truck and trailer is loaded by an excavator.
Rubble from the house is hauled to a handling facility.
Both houses were demolished and removed.
The roof and second floor have already been taken away.
It took several trips to remove all the debris.
The planter will be filled with a variety of perennials.
Survey marks provide information needed for construction.
Maple St. Plaza - future home of totems, lawn & picnic tables.
The block wall is finished off with a cap piece.
Wall sections allow for curved or straight lines.
An excavator sits in a future lawn & picnic area.
The slope is terraced using a block wall.
Blocks are made in a variety of configurations.
The Maple Street parking lot takes shape.
The alley will be regraded and partially paved.
The wall holds back soil for the lawn area.
Friberg Construction of Ferndale is building the walk.
Maple Street Plaza with smokestack in background.
Cherry Street upgrades are underway.
Front Avenue is now closed to traffic.
Cones block the edge of Cherry Street.
Looking east on Cherry Street, towards the river.
A string-line was used to create a straight wall.
Crews demolished portions of an old foundation.
Crushed rock fills the void behind the block wall.
The wall rests on a compacted base of leveled rock.
Concrete is formed to create the illusion of multiple blocks.
A raingarden (left) is installed near the parking area.
Crews work on the Maple Street Plaza.
Depressed gutter is installed next to the block wall.
Broom-finish concrete surrounds the exposed aggregate.
Plastic protects the new concrete.
Curb and gutter is installed. Sidewalk's next.
Wood forms create the shape to pour the concrete into.
The planting area at Main Street takes shape.
Orange survey stakes and forms near Main Street.
Concrete forms await concrete.
Form boards are bent to create the required curve.
Looking north towards Main Street.
View from Alder Street, looking north.
The contractor sets forms in the hard gravel base.
Curb has been completed at the parking lot.
The view to the northeast. Railroad, Main Street & stack.
View of the river and sandbar to the southeast.
Cherry Street at Ferndale Road, looking west.
Ready for concrete. Riverwalk looking north.
Wall and gutter on the west side of the riverwalk.
Maple Street Plaza, looking east.
Areas behind the walls will be seeded for lawn.
Parking lot curb and gutter. Raingarden in background.
A stormwater swale sits just to the right of the backhoe.
Heavy equipment, like this grader, is used for construction.
View of Mt. Baker from Main Street Plaza.
The smokestack is visible from this location, also.
Concrete crews have a lot of work to complete.
Plastic covers the exposed aggregate while they pour.
A concrete pump truck places material where needed.
Outriggers stabilize the truck and boom.
Concrete is placed in the hopper at the back.
Looking south from the Main Street bridge.
The base for the totem pole is constructed.
The log is brought in.
The totem pole begins to take shape.
More work needs to be done to this side.
More of the walk is constructed.
Another angle of the totem pole base.
Ground level view.
Working on shaping the totem pole.
Sanding creates the rounded edges.
The totem pole.
The majestic head nears completion.
Attention to detail.
A small totem will be added to the base section.
A warm face.
Painted salmon on the totem base.
More paint to highlight the details.
