Laserfiche WebLink
The Pueblo Chieftain Online <br />Published: Tuesday September 25, 2007 <br />Workers use heavy equipment to <br />make repairs to portions of the <br />Pueblo Whitewater Park in February <br />after damage in 2006. Course <br />proponents say more needs to be <br />done to maintain the kayak course <br />and the park surrounding it. <br />Kayak course gets bumpy reception <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />Few attend weekend event; Paddlers president says city falling down on <br />upkeep. <br />By CHRIS WOODKA <br />THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN <br />The weather was perfect. The water was abundant. The action was exciting. <br />The only thing missing at the Pueblo Chile y Frijoles Festival kayak contest was <br />local support. <br />"As far as the contest went, it was spectacular. We had guys from Boulder who <br />brought along some people from the Czech Republic," said Bob Walker, president <br />of Pueblo Paddlers. "The downside was there were only about 15 -20 spectators <br />from Pueblo." <br />Just a few blocks away, thousands were milling around the Historic Arkansas <br />Riverwalk of Pueblo, but down by the river at the Pueblo Whitewater Park, rafters <br />offered rides and kayakers performed tricks in relative obscurity. Some of the <br />weekend visitors were world champions in their sport. For Walker, it was just <br />another chapter in a long tale of neglect of what he and other kayakers see as a <br />world -class facility. <br />' "It's supposed to be a city park, and I can't even get the city to cut the weeds," <br />Walker said Monday, still frustrated by the poor local showing of the weekend <br />kayak event. " "It's really sad we can't get city support." <br />http : / /www.chieftain.com/print.php ?article= /metro /1190700074/4 9/25/2007 <br />CHIEFTAIN PHOTO /FILE <br />