Riverfront Park

August 8, 2023 

The above Riverfront plan design was approved by the Peoria City Council on August 8, 2023.  The approved plan offers something for everyone, producing a prime location for outdoor gatherings, concerts, and festivals. Peoria’s investment in the Riverfront reflects the City's commitment to creating a vibrant, attractive, and welcoming space for our community to gather. The above concept design is part of the City’s revitalization plans. 

The design includes a dog park, kayak launch, sports courts, recreational structures, an expanded hardscape for the Riverfront Market, and more.

The origin of this redevelopment began in 2017 with an evaluation of the Riverfront Village. In 2018, the Riverfront Village structure was demolished, and planning expanded to include riverfront land from the Bob Michel Bridge to the Murray Baker Bridge. During the planning process, staff from the Community Development and Public Works Departments and Terra Engineering, Ltd., the City’s consultant for the project, met with community members, stakeholders, civic groups, and local businesses and received input through meetings and surveys.   Click here to view a rendering of Peoria Riverfront Park from Terra Engineering, Ltd.

December 12, 2025

At the December 12, 2025 City Council meeting, the city Council approved an agreement with the Hengst Foundation to construct the Dee Hengst Amphitheater, in the amount of $11,000.00.  The agreement proposes the amphitheater have the capacity to host 5,000 patrons on the Riverfront.  As part of the donation, the Foundation will have authority over the design of the amphitheater, to include specifying the design professionals and construction entities that will be retained for the project and the City will have approval authority over the design and will directly retain and supervise the construction of the project.  

Staff from Terra Engineering, Ltd., CORE, and Epstein provided a presentation of what the amphitheater could look like.  At this time, no final designs have been determined.  Click here for the presentation given at the December 9, 2025 Council Meeting regarding the Dee Amphitheater.