In the next two months, the city of Selma hopes to begin work on the first part of a three-phase project to create a riverwalk that will extend from the Bridge Tenders House to Riverfront Park.

The walk would highlight the river and include an observation deck located between the St. James Hotel and Side Porch Sandwiches.  The project will cost $500,000 but it is being funded by a grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

It’s no secret that the future of Selma is tied directly to how the city’s downtown area does, particularly Water Avenue. A riverwalk would give citizens and tourists another reason to hang out downtown.

Plus, the river is one of Selma’s biggest assets, so it’s important for Selma to highlight that in any way possible.

However, adding a riverwalk also adds to the importance of getting the St. James Hotel back on its feet sooner rather than later. If both ever come together, it would be a major growth for the city of Selma.

Until then, we need to celebrate the progress we are making. Although it’s still some time away from completion, a riverwalk would give locals a place to exercise and give tourists a place to hang out when they finished at the Edmund Pettus Bridge.