"I think it would be too much to expect that we would get anything done this fall," said Ida Scott, manager of the Bridgewater Development Association, whose riverfront renaissance committee is leading the project.

 The riverfront committee is working on installing a water fountain between the Old Bridge and Veterans' Memorial Bridge and building a boardwalk below the King Street Court park with a look-off and murals. Other historical, heritage and cultural murals are also planned for the downtown core along both sides of the LaHave River.

 These are pieces of a larger first phase of what's been coined a riverfront renaissance, which will take years to complete. Riverfront renaissance dates back to 2004 and is a five-phase blueprint that involves plans that are expected to run through 2011.

 A floating fountain with coloured lights and a 50-foot plume in the middle of the LaHave River may be the first item people see.

 "In fact it will probably be the easiest thing for us to do," Ms Scott said in a recent interview, updating the status of the project.

 A concept drawing shows the boardwalk will measure 30' x 150' and an interpretive gazebo style look-off will be 50' x 50' in size.

 "It'll be something to start making a different reason for people to look at downtown Bridgewater," Ms Scott said.

 The estimated cost, including contingency and salary of a part-time project manager, is $667,000.

 Bridgewater committed $192,000 in its 2008/09 budget for riverfront renaissance. Meanwhile, the committee is seeking other potential pots of money, including whatever they think they can get from the federal Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

 However, some of those potential dollars can't even be accessed until next spring at the earliest.

 "You can't really start until you have all your money in place," Ms Scott said.

 Since there's a need to do work in the water, applications have been submitted to government regulatory authorities.

 Halifax-based CBCL Consulting Engineers completed a parking/traffic study in the downtown area earlier this year for the Bridgewater Development Association as part of the riverfront project.

 CBCL felt the north and south parkades were underutilized and recommended some parking scheme changes. It determined the south parkade could be taken down without creating parking chaos.

 The association feels the riverfront beautification could be aided with the removal of the south parkade.

 Ms Scott suggested it was important to get the study finished and the idea is to revisit the parkade matters next year when the water fountain, boardwalk and look-off items near completion. The committee is tackling a few pieces of the larger picture at a time, she indicated, noting the parkade issue will undoubtedly need more time and money to resolve.

 The next time the public is consulted will likely be just before work on the boardwalk, look-off and fountain is due to begin, Ms Scott said.

 "When we start this I think we'll go to the public to give them an overview of what's going to happen, what the timeline and expectations are."

 She figures once the work starts, it should increase the public's awareness and confidence in the process.