By Anna Waugh, Mississippi Park Connection

Sharon Sayles Belton. Minneapolis, MN. Photo Courtesy of Thompson Reuters.

Sharon Sayles Belton has a spring in her step as she peers over the edge of the St. Anthony Falls lock wall to view the cascading falls below. She looks up at to the Minneapolis skyline along the Mississippi Riverfront, a landscape that she shaped as mayor from 1994 – 2001.

When you stand on the lock wall, nearly everything you see has been touched by Sayles Belton’s vision. “The goal was to bring housing to the south bank of the central riverfront. I went looking for a partner and called Peggy Lucas who worked at Brighton Development. She believed in the idea and developed the abandoned Northstar Woolen Building on the east side of Portland Ave. This project was the catalyst that attracted other housing and commercial development in the area.” Today thousands live along the vibrant downtown riverfront.

She also knew that the crossing at Washington Ave needed improvement if people working downtown were to be comfortable walking to the river. Open Book and The Depot both took shape during her tenure – these project acted as catalysts for the transformation of Washington Avenue’s vacant lots into a thriving commercial corridor. The strategy was to link the rich history of the river’s past with a bold promise for a brighter future. Fortunately for Sharon, those that believed in the potential of the revitalization of the riverfront outweighed the skeptics.

The Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota with the river glistening underneath it and greenery along the water.

“The City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, the Minneapolis Park Board the State Historical Society all came together with the residents on both sides of the river to forge a partnership that would strengthen the neighborhoods, expand commerce and the city’s tax base and to top it off show respect and regard for the mighty Mississippi River.”

She says, one of her most memorable experiences on the river was, “walking across the fully restored Stone Arch Bridge [for the first time]. The once beautiful bridge had severely dilapidated over the years. I knew once restored it would attract a lot of people to come and marvel at the rushing water and the Minneapolis skyline.” Last year, the Stone Arch Bridge saw more than 2.1 million people biking, walking, and running over the river.

Sharon’s earliest memories of nature were at summer camp and in Girl Scouts. “I’m a strong advocate for young people to be exposed to the river. I grew up going to camp on the St. Croix River. You learn how to live with nature, and enrich your experience through being outdoors.” For her the river is a great metaphor for life.

“If anybody stops to think about it: ‘Water is Life’ and it is important for us to protect this critical life source. The first nation people lived along the banks of the Mississippi River. Many of their settlements were along the river.”

A group of people including Sharon Sayles Belton and a mascot plant a tree in a field with water in the back.

She is a strong champion of Wilderness Inquiry and their programs that give children and youth in the Twin Cities an opportunity to experience the river – and is very passionate about those first introductions catalyzing life-long relationships with the outdoors and more diversity in the field of outdoor conservation.

“More people need to understand the importance of the river. Some people take it for granted. There obviously have been times in our history where we turned our back to the river and didn’t pay attention to what it meant to us. Looking forward, I strongly believe that there will be more citizens, more groups, and more city council members that will come together, share our history, and continue to put safe guards in place so that our Mississippi River is protected for future generations for the prosperity of our state and region.”

She also acknowledges that there is more work to do. Recalling a river trip to the confluence of the Minnesota and the Mississippi Rivers, she saw the dark, muddy water of the Minnesota River mixing with the clear, clean water of the Mississippi River.

“My heart was broken.”

Sharon Sayles Belton and another person lean over a creek holding plastic bags surrounded by tree branches.

“We should all be environmentalists. By that I mean protectors and advocates for clean air and water. Add access to food, shelter and health care, too. These are the basic things we need to live and thrive.” Sharon believes that we must all be stewards of this work. She added, “If you care about what happens with future generations then you have to get involved and you must vote. It is important for people to remember that democracy is ours. We have the opportunity and the responsibility to engage in it. If you don’t vote, then you voice will not get heard.”

She remarked that there are people that literally put their lives on the line to vote. There is no excuse for us today, but there is much to lose if we fail to vote. “Vote now.”

Looking forward, Sharon is still catalyzing the future of Minneapolis and the river. “I just wish more people could watch the mud roll into the river. There is so much more to the story. And so much that we can all do …together!”

Women of the Mississippi: Sharon Sayles Belton