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Park e and Play 000237 e An inside look at the nation's top urban whitewater parks bv Frederick Reimers ~;~\ ("'.'.' ~_..: . - _c .~. ....''''N- you can find good whitewater right downtown. While the quest for whitewater playspots once meant mandatory OW journeys to distant canyons, a new breed of urban whitewater parks is allowing enthusiasts to paddle before, after and even during work. In some cases, office stiffs can shoulder their boats and walk right to the course for a coffee-break surf session to shake off cubicle claustrophobia. . Following a trend begun in Europe, about 20 man-made or augmented natural whitewater runs are now situated in urban settings ih the U.S. And not all of them are in the mountains.Two of the nation's oldest--<leveloped in the 70s-are located in the flatlands of Indiana and Wisconsin. In addition to easy access, what most of these parks have in common is the ability to improve their communities. The Wausau,Wis., course transformed a garbage-strewn, de-watered hydro side channel into a landscaped city park and event venue that draws thousands each year for whitewater events. Denver's Confluence Park has been credited in gentrifying the city's long-neglected South Platte riverfront. Parks in Salida, Durango and Golden, Colorado have had similar effects, drawing boaters and terrestrial park-goers alike to the walkways alongside man-made whitewater courses. Look for the park in Reno, Nevada, to have a similar effect on the ignoredTruckee riverfront. But the visionaries behind these spots didn't roll boulders into the streams so people could walk their dogs; they created them to paddle. The following is a sampler of the nation's best urban whitewater destinations, all featuring augmented river channels and at least Class " water. Never before have more paddlers craved whitewater, and while urban park and play isn't the same as exploring a pristine wilderness river, it'll get you through the work week. Animas River, Durango, Colorado Minutes after the backhoe operator finished tweaking Smelter Rapid on the Animas River in Durango last February; hardcore locals were lining up to throw ends in the renovated feature. Those who took early rides in Smelter were the lucky ones. Strong water flows later in the season undid much of the work there, but Comer Pocket. a newly enhanced feature _ downstream, weathered the surge and reigned as a hot spot with the rodeo crowd. First conceived as a slalom course in 1985 by a group consisting of Tim Wolf, Nancy Wiley. John Brennan and Allen Small, the project has been a successful partnership between paddlers and the city all along. The permit to alter the riverbed was obtained in 1989, and the park was subsequently designated as a U.S. Whitewater Canoe & Kayak Team Center of Excellence and training site and has hosted events ranging &om the annual Animas River Days to junior olympic and junior national whitewater team qualifiers and the now-defunct Champion Intemational Whitewater Series. The cost? Remarkably low. Overall, the city has spent only about $10,000 (not counting the roughly $75.000 for off-river amenities such as ballfields, sports courts, bike path, bathrooms, pavilions and landscaping). Last season's work on Smelter and Comer Pocket cost about $5,600. Most of the work and materials for the whitewater venue itself have been donated. What controversy there has been arose because of conflicts between those who favor enhancements and those who oppose any alteration of the river. and inction between new school playboaters and old school racers. Forrest Jones. marketing director at Durango-based Bomber Gear; acknowledges that the group could have been more inclusive. Kathy Metz, director of Durango parks and rec, is philosophical about the friction. "As is typical of any public project there is conflict" she says, "' think it's good to have differing viewpoints because that gets you a better product in the end." What's next? Creating a master plan for a "Iinw park that would encompass the roughly six miles of river corridor in the city limits. One dark cloud forWhitewater Park is the Animas-La Plata Project, which received $ I 6 million in initial funding &om Congress last year: Animas-La Plata would include pumping water from a retention area directly below Whitewater Park. Info: (800) 4CORNERS, www.riversportcom. -Stormy Colman l s 1 Q. And for my next trick: work.