Preparations for Run of River have included a number of downtown projects, including parking lot enhancements, the addition of public restrooms, the creation of trails on 40 wooded acres, and several infrastructure improvements. Total investment for these projects exceeds $10.8 million.

Specific projects include:

• Downtown infrastructure improvements (sidewalk and streetlight upgrades, 1-million-gallon holding tank to offset overflow into the river, sewer and water upgrades to minimize overflow into river during storms) completed in 2006 for $7,157,500
• Public restrooms and office space at the Renaissance Center, completed in 2008 for $904,300
• Three rounds of façade improvements in 2008, 2010, and 2015 that enhanced the appearance of 46 commercial buildings with a total investment of $1,044,337
• Debe Park River Walk (ADA-compliant trail on south side of Kennebec River Gorge), completed in 2011 for $496,708
• River’s Edge Bike Park (adjacent to Debe Park River Walk), completed in 2012 for $8,000
• Parking lot improvements, including the municipal lot and the Indian sculpture parking lot, completed in 2015 for $1,051,000

In addition to investing taxpayer dollars, the town received donations for these improvements from local business owners and residents as well as funding from grants, including a Riverfront Community Bond, a Department of Conservation Trail Grant, a Communities for Maine’s Future Grant, a Downtown Revitalization Grant, a Community Enterprise Grant, and several Community Development Block Grants.