The creation of a redevelopment plan for Boneyard Creek, a natural waterway running through the center of downtown Urbana, was one of the top items on a list of goals approved by the Urbana City Council in 2005.

Two years later, no development plans have been finalized following public input from Urbana residents and officials at community meetings.

Hidden by thick, overgrown plants and a rusted chain-link fence, the creek remains more of an eyesore than an attraction for downtown Urbana.

Brandon Bowersox, Ward 4 council member, said the creek is “really unappealing” but should be an amenity for the downtown area.

The Boneyard Creek Master Plan is an outdated document, but the city has created a new plan and hired a consultant to help with the beautification of the creek, said Tom Carrino, economic development manager for Urbana.

Bowersox said revitalizing the downtown area will bring more business to Urbana. It will also give people a place to shop, eat out and enjoy themselves, he said.

“Ideally we would want to create an environment where businesses use the Boneyard as an amenity,” Carrino said.

Allen Strong, an Urbana resident, owns two restaurants in downtown Urbana. Both the Courier Cafe, 111 N. Race St., and Silvercreek, 402 N. Race St., are located along the creek.

Strong said he supports the plan to make the creek more amenable, but experience has taught him to remain skeptical concerning plans for the area. Since he built the Courier Cafe 27 years ago, and Silvercreek 17 years ago, Strong said he has witnessed many attempts at revitalizing the downtown area surrounding the creek, but none have been completed.

But this time there seems to be real desire to move forward, Strong said.

“We want to create spaces that make people proud of where they live and make them want to be here,” Strong said.

The community has taken an active role in the plans to beautify the creek. Carrino said the city has held community meetings, and people seem interested in the process. People have expressed many ideas, and they want some connection along the creek, such as a pedestrian or recreation trail, he said.

Urbana has looked at other cities with similar waterways for concepts and examples, Bowersox said.

Some residents like Strong doubt that Urbana, with its small, shallow creek, has the same opportunities as other cities with large rivers.

Strong said he would like to see an amphitheater for music and other events, but he said he doubts outdoor eating areas and river walkway spaces are possible because the area is not big enough. Bowersox said other Urbana residents seem to want public plazas and trails or walkways, based on the public input he has heard.

“We have such an opportunity to make appealing public places,” Bowersox said.