Mount Vernon residents react to riverfront plans

MOUNT VERNON, Ind. (WEHT) – Many Mount Vernon residents love to flock to the riverfront to enjoy the trails, the park, and the view of the Ohio River. But with strategic plan renderings revealed, there could be new riverfront amenities to enjoy in the years to come. Nearly 50 miles of the Ohio riverfront are expected to receive a makeover, including Newburgh, Evansville and Mount Vernon.

The Ohio River Vision and Strategic Plan shows a proposed revitalization to the Main Street corridor, becoming what officials with the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership call a high quality pedestrian area. Along with an event plaza, the downtown area would also see new townhomes and multi-family apartment buildings.

The goal is to bring more residents to the riverfront and to downtown businesses. Alan Blackburn has lived in the Mount Vernon-area his whole life and says he is eager to see how the downtown area will look in the future.

“If you’re going to have more people living around here close, I think it’d draw more people,” says Blackburn. “I really do. Yeah, I mean, more housing down here, it would have more people close to the river and more people to come see the events.”

Even though the renderings were just released, it could still be a few years before some of those more significant changes start to take shape. You can read more about the plan on E-REP’s website.

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