The outlines of a debate over the future of the San Lorenzo River started forming at Wednesday's forum, with part of the crowd prioritizing habitat improvement and others emphasizing greater human engagement through recreation and commerce.
The morning after Valentine's Day, several dozen people gathered in a parking lot behind the old Royal Taj (now Maharaja) restaurant on Soquel and Riverside and lugged their canoes, kayaks and SUP boards down a grassy embankment to the edge of the San Lorenzo River.
And the winners of the straw poll survey of what folks want on the new and improved San Lorenzo River are: recreational access close to the rivermouth, food trucks and restaurants between the Water and Laurel street bridges, and interpretive signage between the Water Street Bridge and Highway 1.
People have talked about saving the San Lorenzo River for decades. Now, amid fresh public awareness of public safety and environmental issues, the idea has a new champion in the Coastal Watershed Council.
