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ENVIRONMENTAL OUTLOOK 2005 , $'::; {j 1k9 "'^ )} '*:~' ~. SPECIAL SECTION Index Surveys DJC.COM Page 1 of 5 July 213, 2005 Whitewater parks move into the mainstream . Parks provide recreational, environmental and economic benefits By LIZ AUSTIN Journal Staff Reporter Whitewater parks attract the usual suspects: kayakers, canoeists and rafters. But these engineered water channels are broadening their appeal as they cater to people interested in fishing, people- watching and even downtown development. Images courtesy REP Scott Shipley, REP engineer and former Olympic athlete, is part of a design team doing preliminary work on whitewater parks in Spokane and Yakima. Users often pay nothing to use a park, but the facilities can bring millions of dollars into the local economy, according to Recreation Engineering and Planning, a Boulder, Colo., whitewater design firm. Paddling groups in Washington state want to catch the wave as they pitch the recreational, environmental and economic benefits of whitewater parks in their communities. A group in Yakima is in the early stages of park planning, and a Spokane group is preparing to start construction next summer. According to an impact study conducted by REP, a whitewater park near the Sandifur Bridge in the Spokane River would cost $425,000. The state has already appropriated $400,000 toward the project, and private fundraising is expected to cover the rest. Scott Shipley is a Kitsap County native and engineer at REP, and has worked on the proposals for Spokane and Yakima. After training and competing as an Olympic athlete in rivers around the world, Shipley said he now prefers the proximity and amenities fOiund in whitewater parks. "The biggest difference by far, isn't so much experience -- it's the convenience," he said. http://www.djc.com/news/en/11170278.html 2/14/2007