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<br /> Arkansas River, Salida, Colorado
<br /> ' The Mecca of Colorado playparks due to paddle -able flows year - round, the
<br /> whitewater course in the center of Salida has been evolving since 1949, the first
<br /> year of the annual FIBArk festival. It was not until 1988 that a few local boaters
<br /> teamed up with designer Gary Lacy to make the course more challenging for
<br /> tif FIBArk competitors or die hard locals running gates in January. While locals
<br /> tinkered with the course over the years, the most significant recent change was
<br /> performed in 2000 and 2001 under the watch of the Arkansas RiverTrustThe
<br /> Trust is a non - profit formed specifically to create and maintain a world -class
<br /> whitewater park in Salida.
<br /> F ., " Not only did we want to improve the
<br /> features, but to really integrate the river — -
<br /> corridor into downtown Salida for
<br /> w everyone, not just paddlers," says the Trust's ., - , � ; >
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<br /> � ¢ „ Salida, Colo..
<br /> �? rr 1n a
<br /> -4 r -' ' *" ,. from backhoe
<br /> t `` - K ' D ili .� i .' i to boating hole.
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<br /> " . .7_ - Executive Director, Mike Harvey.TheTrust spearheaded the construction of a
<br /> – F rodeo hole, removed hundreds of tons of concrete and trash from the river, re-
<br /> Web site: www.massivekayalc.com stabilized the banks with vegetation and rock, built a section of river walk and
<br /> 01 call toll free: 1 -800- 344 -5224 most recently expanded the slalom course upstream of the Salida boat ramp.
<br /> The funds for the project came largely from within the paddling community
<br /> though the City of Salida contributed $50,000 of what amounted to a $200,000
<br /> project. "I think Salida is an example of how a motivated group of paddlers can make
<br /> . - . - , this happen in their community without a local municipality with deep pockets," says
<br /> I . ' Harvey. He adds that the Trust has further plans to expand the existing facilities,
<br /> k _ I . „ Y • II
<br /> Jill � Ri ve r �S 1V� Want a whitewater play park, i n y our ..
<br /> ; eina bent springs, Colorado town Sick of seeing tax money wasted on always- empty
<br /> , 1 - basketball courts? If Parks and Recreation can build courts for
<br /> • registration party people who won't use them, why don't they build a whitewater play
<br /> hi. 7
<br /> park in your town, where people will travel for hours to paddle? You
<br /> • feature film party i
<br /> and dinner can make it happen with a little ingenuity and time, but before you -
<br /> a
<br /> • pedal & paddle
<br /> boater - cross start rolling boulders into your backyard stream, consider your line.
<br /> (featuring the big
<br /> wheel start)
<br /> i Raising Awareness
<br /> I
<br /> sat . S tart w the Forest Service, Parks and Rec. May Offi and State
<br /> I . • salmon slalom
<br /> 1 • down river race .. -
<br /> Parks Recreation.These agencies make the direct or indirect decisions about
<br /> `
<br /> 1 • .fat eddy's thread- what to do with the recreation budget, which, in your town will. probably
<br /> works & paddler materialize in the 16th public basketball court because they don't know that
<br /> magazine: ■ .. _ your play park dream exists. Refer them to the successes of other play parks, in
<br /> Fat City Showdown Golden; Colo., Ogden, Utah, Vail, Colo., and even Reno, Nevada.
<br /> Rodeo In addition to their popularity, these parks attract business. Golden's Clear
<br /> • crazy river dog For more info check out: Creek park —built for $165,000 —pumps $1.4 to $2.2 million i nto the' local °
<br /> • rocky's jambalaya fateddysthreadworks.com
<br /> dinner &bluegrass baekdoorsports.com economy each year. In your presentation to the city counc mayor or parks a ;_
<br /> band 156Ed , r ec officials, remind your audience of whitewater parks' p ositive effect on the
<br /> • awards & party P8001111 '4•+M A IM c )-- quality of life for the surrounding neighborhood, which boosts real estate
<br /> sun. 9 - values. "A lot of the action is on the riverbanks," says play park designer Gary
<br /> • slalom race A Friends of the Yampa River Fundraiser
<br /> Lacy. "It creates access and becomes a place for people to sit and have picnics.
<br /> 1 52 Paddler • May /June 2002
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