The City of Ridgefield and Port of Ridgefield are excited to announce the adoption of the Waterfront Park Master Plan, marking a key milestone in the development of a vibrant public space along Ridgefield’s only shoreline. The Master Plan, which spans roughly 8 acres and stretches across 1,500 feet of scenic waterfront, outlines a vision for a park that will serve as a hub for recreation, nature viewing, and community events.
Both the City and the Port have long envisioned a waterfront park that not only enhances recreational opportunities but also boosts economic vitality to support Ridgefield’s growth. Recognizing this shared goal, the City and Port formalized a partnership in late 2023 to collaboratively design a master plan for a community-focused waterfront park.
“Our shared mission with the City has been to create space that both benefits our community and promotes economic opportunities that can strengthen Ridgefield’s future,” said Port Commission Chair Bruce Wiseman. “With this Waterfront Park, we’re achieving both goals—honoring the community’s needs and wants while creating a vibrant space that drives recreation and economic prosperity in our region.”
The Port has been engaging the Ridgefield community around waterfront redevelopment priorities since 2022. Through a series of outreach events, workshops, a survey and public comment period, the community voiced a strong desire for increased access to open spaces and a waterfront park. This feedback led the Port to prioritize the park in its 2023 Waterfront Business Plan, setting the stage for the development of a plan aligned with the community's vision.
Building on this input, the Master Plan process kicked off in January of this year, beginning with listening to the community’s vision and values for a park on Ridgefield’s waterfront. Public participation was at the center of this process. The project team engaged in direct consultation with key stakeholders, held three community open houses, conducted three online community surveys and engaged with attendees at Big Paddle, a large community event focused on human powered watercraft, that takes place at the waterfront and on Lake River. This engagement work led to three guiding principles: respect and enhance the natural setting, support recreation, and reflect Ridgefield culture, art and history.
The final concept integrates these features with careful consideration for the site’s unique physical and environmental conditions. The Master Plan is deliberately flexible, allowing the park to adapt alongside future development on the adjacent waterfront property. This adaptability ensures that the park and surrounding mixed-use spaces evolve together, creating a unified and harmonious experience for future visitors to Ridgefield’s waterfront.
“This is a living, flexible plan,” said Ron Onslow, Mayor of the City of Ridgefield. “The goal is for the Waterfront Park to seamlessly integrate with the surrounding development. As the plan evolves, so will the park, ensuring the whole waterfront is a space for all community members to enjoy and be proud of.”
The plan envisions two distinct areas within the park: an active zone to the south, near the motorized boat launch, and a passive zone to the north, closer to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. The active zone vision features a flexible event space, restrooms, water access for hand-launched craft, enhanced beach access, and a unique, inclusive play area. The passive zone vision includes open lawns, additional restrooms, picnic shelters, trails, an art walk, and accessible overlooks and water access.
As the project advances into the design and development phases, the Port and City remain committed to ongoing community engagement. The next step involves collaboration with all key partners, including the Port, the City, and Palindrome Properties Group, the Port’s recently selected preferred developer for the waterfront. Together, these entities will work to create a cohesive vision for transforming Ridgefield’s waterfront into a vibrant community space for local residents and regional visitors.
For more details about the Waterfront Park Master Plan, please visit RidgefieldRoundtable.org/waterfront-park.
For additional information on the Ridgefield Waterfront, please visit www.RidgefieldWaterfront.com.