Tempe Town Lake opened to the public in November 1999, the result of decades of partnerships and visionary leadership that began in 1965. It was a monumental project that turned miles of barren riverbottom into an oasis of opportunity.

The lake now benefits Tempe, the greater Phoenix Area, the state of Arizona and beyond with tourism opportunities, hotels, housing options, thousands of jobs, and recreational amenities for the health and enjoyment of people in neighborhoods and around the globe, according to a release.

“Tempe Town Lake started as an idea in 1965. Mayors like Harry Mitchell, Neil Giuliano, Hugh Hallman and Mark Mitchell all played roles in bringing the lake to fruition and helping it become the success it is,” Mayor Corey Woods said in the release. “Building on that legacy for the benefit of Tempe residents is just as important today. The Rio Salado Beach Park Master Plan and Rio Reimagined offer opportunities for us to continuously improve this vital part of our community.”

Celebrating Town Lake

Celebrate 25 years of Tempe Town Lake — its silver anniversary — at Tempe Beach Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3.

Grab your friends and family for a day of free family fun, the release states.

Ever been in a pedal boat or kayak on the lake? Now is your chance to try it for free. Tempe Boat Rentals is offering free kayak and pedal boat rentals on a first-come basis.

More free fun: enjoy live music by Walt Richardson and Rock Lobster, inflatables, games, face painting, a rock-climbing wall, mini golf, crafts and more. Food trucks and local vendors will be at the celebration with concessions for sale.

The first 500 people will receive a commemorative State Forty Eight T-shirt so arrive early to secure a T-shirt and a spot on the grass for the concert, the release states.

Go to tempe.gov/lake for details.

Three purposes

Tempe Town Lake was built with three purposes — flood control, recreation and economic development, the release states.

The seven miles of shoreline were empty and unpopulated before 1999. The land could not be used because it was prone to serious flooding. In 1980, the Salt River flooded and traffic in the entire greater Phoenix Area was gridlocked. Only two bridges across the river in the entire Valley survived – one of them the old Mill Avenue Bridge. All the others were damaged or washed away, the release states.

Building Tempe Town Lake changed that. The world’s largest hydraulically-operated steel gate dam system protects the community from flooding and makes it possible to build homes and offices and host events.

Opportunities remain for development and recreation both on and adjacent to Town Lake. The Rio Salado and Beach Park Master Plan provides a blueprint for future of programming, infrastructure, use of open space and land/water activities. Go to https://www.tempe.gov/government/community-services/parks/rio-salado-and-beach-park-master-plan.

Rio Reimagined, a project envisioned by the late Sen. John McCain in 2018, brings together communities along the Salt and Gila rivers for many of the same purposes of the original creation of Town Lake, with a goal of connecting communities to one another and the environment, fostering economic, recreational, and equitable development. Go to https://rioreimagined.org/about.