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.ccr ing :o a study by Pete <br />W:=, of the wester:. Asso- <br />- - on to Enjoy Rivers, a kayaking <br />uo struggling to bring a whitewa- <br />t� park to. Grand Junction, as <br />�aay as 80 percent of the 2,000 <br />visitors to Durango's annual Ani- <br />m ass River Days festival are from <br />out of town`and bring more than <br />8100,000•to the local economy in a <br />single weekend_` <br />Kayaking bA undergone tremen- <br />s dc.u& changes in the past 10 years. <br />Boats are' getiing smaller, and "ro- <br />deo "_kayaking has gained unprece- <br />dented popffiiity, With -that popu- <br />larity c the proliferation of <br />these "park and pay.. "river parks, <br />_.;where kayafefs can come and <br />fiftu :at;a single•hole; honing <br />ab ost1 rin stic moves in, <br />aad 'atq;: foaming holes that not <br />_ > Tong�ago -ost kayake <br />m struggled <br />t(21tdid: N; efitiahy, kayaking has <br />ined`aidimension.•Whereas 10 <br />years ago -tlil�- sport. was largely <br />- Z�jAgt running a ripet. nd traveling <br />4. fjEtju'one locale tiFabotber,.now it's <br />aisa about': mastering complex <br />pes uta?singl location. - <br />y- _river, ;economy . _ <br />S, which <br />,as have <br />tia brougld:ui C lot. ofzhibhey' and <br />;t iarticipatiom levei'liag just sky - <br />rdLketed,'_' .Says $ill Baker, presi- <br />dent `of the .Colorado Rivers Alli- <br />s =tee, :,a - local ndn- profit <br />organization promoting river con- <br />; .servation and protection. <br />I do believe that whitewater <br />parks have:.. saved lives.- With the <br />popularity. of `park- and -play' boat - <br />ing,"people have a'safe place to <br />boat. all season long. In fact, on the <br />`10 or so whitewater parks. in Colo- <br />? rado, there has never been a single <br />- kayaking fatality. Ever," he says. <br />In emphasizing the economic im- <br />pact a healthy and attractive ur- <br />_ban river, Baker points to river <br />fronts in Greeley, Fort Morgan and <br />Commerce City and then Boulder, <br />Glenwood Springs and Golden. <br />"The' difference a healthy river <br />des in the community, finan- <br />etly and otherwise, - is over- <br />'lining," he says. "... A healthy <br />oIlomy requires a healthy envi- <br />ent and vice versa." <br />: W pt <br />calls the "intangi- <br />•enefits" of the parks. There's <br />- never been a comprehensive eco- <br />nomic study that outlines the finan- <br />cial benefits the parks provide, but <br />anyone looking at the park in Gold - <br />en or Salida will see kayakers from <br />across the state and even more <br />spectators gathered on the - banks. <br />"I can't tell you how much mon- <br />ey these parks generate, but how <br />can you put a figure on people <br />coming to your town and having <br />fun ?" asks Lacy, as he points to <br />several groups cT people in busi- <br />L-2sa`sujts who h-- gathered or,, <br />sr- <br />F! <br />H Den'yer P o st Ch y <br />Roue. <br />(i <br />t " Prime SedL <br />Number of First (lass tickets at 00 each: <br />Number of (oath (lass tickets at $185 each: <br />❑ (heck - endosed, payable to The Denver Post (G <br />(redit (ard - Cl Visa ❑ Mastercard <br />If you are planoin4 to travel With another party making <br />may attempt to seat you to?ether. <br />Reservations accepted by mail only! <br />Mail To: The Denver Post (heyenne Front <br />For more information call 303410 -190 <br />Tickets are non - refundable and non- exchar <br />