i •
<br /> Clear Creek Whitewater Park, Golden, Colorado sent to the appellate court by an unlikely opponent-the state itself via the
<br /> When Golden, Colo., city officials approved construction of a Colorado Water Conservation Board. A ruling's not expected for at least a
<br /> whitewater park five years ago, they figured ft would attract some paddlers, year, says Dan Hartman, the city's Public Works director. A win by Golden at
<br /> fishing fans and serenity seekers. But they had no idea how big a draw it the appeals level would provide legal ammunition for scores of other ,
<br /> would be-or the economic impact it would have. Officially dedicated in June Colorado municipalities hoping to reap the same benefits. Info:
<br /> 1997, Clear CreekWhitewater Park has become an important economic wwwcityofgolden. net /rentofs /whitewater /whitewaterhtm.
<br /> driver in the town that Coors built, even acting as a magnet for students — Stormy Colman
<br /> considering attending the renowned Colorado School of Mines in Golden.
<br /> We are all shocked —city council, staff, even paddlers -by how many Yampa River, Steamboat Springs, Colorado
<br /> cars there are driving down the street with kayaks on top," says Charlie Thanks to efforts by a group of paddling -in- the -blood locals, Steamboat
<br /> Fagan, parks and recreation director for Golden, its just a fantastic success." Springs, with the Yampa River flowing right through town, recently upgraded
<br /> A handful of kayakers, including park designer Gary Lacy, approached Fagan its surfing stature with a new playhole just downstream of the Iibrary.Though
<br /> several years ago with the idea of building a whitewater park in town,Arrned the river has already been improved over the years, complete with a slalom
<br /> with the information they provided, Fagan convinced a somewhat skeptical city course and several playholes sprinkled throughout town, the most recent
<br /> council to spend $165,000 in Colorado Lottery proceeds to build the park, addition is the real deal, and another notch on the paddle shaft of river park
<br /> which includes a half- designer Gary Lacy.
<br /> dozen drops -- -- ,> a ` .
<br /> culminating in a x e •- x * - ` r t , For less than
<br /> slalom gates -- , $20,000, including
<br /> playhole, g ,, r,, local donations of
<br /> and a landscaped boulders,
<br /> riverside walkway. , m, engineering and
<br /> The move has ` , -, ', 4 even excavating,
<br /> paid off handsomely .�,: " - the town now has
<br /> A recent study by - . ,- . ,
<br /> of 7+ ~ + -
<br /> Stratus Consulting a should extend endt
<br /> g L Y � � � ; ��� ;,�• = -�.^._ _- should extend its
<br /> Boulder puts the r`, '--,, , A season well into
<br /> economic impact of t ,.- ,
<br /> , 3* summer. "It's a
<br /> the park at $1.4 �� ' : , t , ,�
<br /> perfect location for
<br /> million to $2 million - -"- ' ,:__ - s _,-. _ 4 .a ' the feature' says
<br /> annually. Pretty '�'
<br /> . �� � ` � „ " � : Lacy, who worked
<br /> impressive when - ti , '. = �R "y x ,
<br /> P ,: on the course over
<br /> you consider that "" "'�-. `.-
<br /> Y .. 5 ' , 0. " along weekend
<br /> money's coming ` 4 ° a
<br /> Y g ,. last November. "It
<br /> primarily from ' • '`'` has plenty of water
<br /> paddlers, people '' 9 t „* p"' .- ` " _ -' fl ow, gradient and
<br /> who'll forego food o r , ' , f , % .�= easy accessibility."
<br /> `
<br /> g ,� � � � � R�� . y."
<br /> in favor of the �_ _ _ _ --�� $', ,. . `t - , .- ' Interest in creating
<br /> latest boat.After the Golden gates: the Clear Creek Park brings in $2 million a year for the city. the new playhole
<br /> 2001 Clear Creek . arose in spring
<br /> Whitewater Festival, organizers handed city council a $2,000 check to help 2001 when proceeds from the Fat City Showdown kayak rodeo, sponsored
<br /> with repairs and maintenance on the course.The park's success has by Fat Eddy'sThreadworks and Paddler magazine, were put into a fund
<br /> prompted Fagan to begin developing pfans that would more than double its administered by the City. Radio and print ads asking for local support helped
<br /> quarter -mile length, extending it through downtown and to the edge of more funds trickle into the account, all matched by the City. When the
<br /> , Coors' operations (a convenient take-out) numbers reached the magic amount, companies such as Native Excavating
<br /> The park may also become a legal bellwether, Last summer, Golden stepped up to the plate and the plans were drawn, "It was a real community
<br /> sought legal claim to what's called recreational instream flow of as much as effort," says the City's Chris Arnis, one of the first people to "test" the new
<br /> I 1,000 cfs through the park during the peak season of May -July The city took hole on a cold November morning. And its amazing that it all came
<br /> l that step to prevent any upstream water rights holder from building a together so quickly —once everything was in place, the whole thing was
<br /> i reservoir or diversion that would diminish flows through the course, After built in about four days." Though the new hole has yet to be named, expect
<br /> F resolving any objections from upstream and downstream water rights it to follow a similar theme of la s ots upstream, which carry
<br /> F.11 g Y j P g P YP P y such names
<br /> k holders, Golden prevailed in a Colorado trial court only to find the issue as A -hole and Double Z. Info: (970) 879 -6249.
<br /> —edb
<br /> T I,IC:7';'..:* '',• ' '''', , - 4$1117
<br /> ;�' Animas River, f Gore Creek,
<br /> _ Durango, Colorado -' . Vail, Colorado
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<br /> www.paddlermagazine.com • 51
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