The study compares the Taiwanese Han-culture waterfront recreational patterns to the Ames tribal aqua-cultural habitat patterns. It introduces the Ames XiZhou village migration history, while it addresses the mainstream waterfront design fashions in Taiwan. It suggests the community participatory mechanisms for re-vision the Danshui River ecosystems. It argues that the river ecosystem could support cross-cultural lifestyles for Ames tribe if the government officials and design-planning professions could alter their approaches of waterfront planning, design, and governance. The study serves as policy references for governments in different level and fields, including the environmental protection association, the urban development and community-neighborhood departments.