After years of planning, collaboration, and dedication to the Pueblo Riverwalk in the downtown area, the Boathouse Project is finally a reality. The historic addition to the Pueblo Riverwalk has recently received the Downtown Excellence Award for the $16 million Channel Expansion and Boathouse Project.
The Pueblo Riverwalk Boathouse will provide an array of new amenities including restrooms, ticketing, concessions, and administrative offices for Historic Arkansas River of Pueblo (HARP) all of which provide stunning views of the Pueblo Riverwalk Landscape. The Boathouse Rooftop can also serve as a venue for weddings, educational programs, and fundraisers—a feature the Riverwalk area has been lacking for decades.
Celebrating this incredible milestone means recognizing the history of the Pueblo Riverwalk’s development in the last three decades.
In 1991, a coalition of citizens came together with a vision for the Pueblo Riverwalk, an idea modeled after the San Antonio, Texas Riverwalk project. The collective of citizens became known as the Historic Arkansas River of Pueblo. In 1993, the HARP commission was created to lead fundraising efforts and oversee development of this now treasured piece of Pueblo.
The Pueblo Riverwalk has undergone four phases of development. Phase I focused on creating Lake Elizabeth, several bridges, and underground utilities. In 1998, during phase II, bike paths, pedestrian walkways, new landscaping, ADA accessibility, the Welcome Center, and the Boettcher Natural Area were included. Just 20 years later, phase III was completed, providing eastward expansion and connection to the Pueblo Convention Center.
Phase IV of the Boathouse project broke ground in June 2024 through help from voters, who approved a County 1A Initiative in 2016.
The Pueblo Riverwalk Boathouse celebrated its grand opening on April 23, 2026 with the heart and enthusiasm to further enrich the heart of downtown while providing new business opportunities.
