Mayor suggests barriers along Cumberland riverbank after Riley Strain’s body recovered
“I could certainly imagine there being barriers that made it harder to get from the sidewalk into the areas of growth that are right there along the riverbank.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - The body of missing Mizzou student Riley Strain was recovered from the Cumberland River on Friday morning.
Shortly after Metro Nashville police announced the recovery, Mayor Freddie O’Connell held his weekly roundtable and discussed what could come from this situation to make Nashville safer.
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WSMV4 Investigates Jeremy Finley asked O’Connell if he worries about the city’s image following the disappearance and later recovery of a 22-year-old college student.
“Absolutely. And it’s something where I would say we share the goal with the Convention Visitors Corporation of constantly investing in the safety of the city, and particularly, the entertainment district because we want not just residents to be safe in their neighborhoods, whether or not they ever go to a honky tonk, but we also want visitors of the city to be safe,” O’Connell replied.
Following up, Finley asked about infrastructure along the river and what the mayor would be imagining for the future.
“I’ve walked this stretch for decades, and I could certainly imagine there being barriers that made it harder to get from the sidewalk into the areas of growth that are right there along the riverbank. You know, I would say also just helping people with the basics of wayfinding,” O’Connell said. “Through the years, we have had different types of things that show where you are in downtown. I think making sure that it’s easy to find your way back to a hotel or to a residence; there are a couple of different options.”
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