Eric Arneson’s design reimagines the Healdsburg riverfront as a visitor-friendly, natural place of beauty

The Bendway Towers have become the symbol of the park and provide a visual link to the town. Overhead conveyors have been repurposed as tree walks immersing visitors into a California woodland with panoramic views of the site and beyond. Photo by Eric Arneson.
In the past decade, Healdsburg has become one of Wine Country’s most popular destinations. With its charming plaza rimmed with fine restaurants, tasting rooms, shops and stylish hotels, the revitalized downtown has plenty to offer visitors and locals. But according to Academy of Art University graduate Eric Arneson, who grew up in Healdsburg, one of his hometown’s most precious resources is being squandered: the Russian River.