City officials laid out an appealing vision for Biddeford’s future last week, proposing to eventually bring a dynamic but hidden section of the Saco River back into public view.

The river’s rapids and falls can be glimpsed from upper story windows and the back lot of Maine Energy Recovery Co., but the mills that once tapped the power of the Saco River have kept this stretch walled-off for more than 150 years.

Now the plan is to begin to restore it to public view by designing and building a public walkway, a “RiverWalk” that would enable the public to follow the Saco’s course behind the former Pepperell and North Dam mills. In the future, the hope is to eventually collaborate on a footbridge across the river, linking to Saco’s pathways and the growing  Eastern Trail.

For everyone who is exhilarated by rapids, eddies and falls, this is welcome news. The completion of such a path may still be a long way off, but there was enthusiasm at last week’s meeting over the prospect of gaining access to this private outlook.

For those with a more practical  turn of mind, City Planner Greg Tansley, spelled out the potential value to the city. “This will be an element for economic development and put Biddeford on the map,” he  said.

He and others pursuing this effort deserve credit for this insight.  With river walks in both Biddeford and Saco, the downtown districts will have an attractive drawing card that will make all the rest of the Main Street improvements more meaningful.

Restoring this kind of access to Cataract Falls will not be easy, quick or inexpensive. As an indication, the city is devoting $110,000 from an initial $500,000 grant toward project design and permits. The first phase of the project will simply make a beginning at Mechanics Park and cross beneath the Main Street Bridge, stopping at an outlook point short of the  falls. The plan also calls for a long-overdue reconfiguration of the intersection of Water and Main streets.

We hope potential resistance to paying for parks and amenities is softened by the idea that this is intended as a sound investment. The area needs a focal point, and what better candidate than the Saco River ”“ onetime source of Biddeford’s prosperity and power.

One of the benefits of planning is that it encourages private investment to follow the lead of public spending.  Successful redevelopment of downtown Biddeford will take substantial public and private investment, based on a sound and ambitious plan.

This RiverWalk concept provides such a plan.

— Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Nick Cowenhoven at nickc@journaltribune.com.