Paddler: May/June 2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

I WHITEWATER PARKS WAVE OF POPULARITY by Risa Shimoda and Paddler Editors Whtewater parks like this one In Vail. Colo.. have boosted the economies and paddling opportunities of countless communities. ate r Pi Human beings are tinkerers. When something doesn't fit our needs, it's our nature to change it. Whitewater paddlers are no different. And whitewater —in the form of man -made whitewater parks —is springing up in towns and cities across the nation, creating a new wave of whitewater enthusiasm in the most unlikely of places: downtown. People who would otherwise never be exposed to whitewater now find it right in their front yard. In the last decade communities have managed' to build dozens of whitewater play parks and slalom training courses, often overcoming a force as indecipherable as nature herself, if not nearly so benign: local bureaucracy. Artificial whitewater courses are popping up across [he country, in traditional whitewater towns like Salida, Colo., and less likely locales such as Fort Worth, Texas, and Charlotte, N.C. You can spin and blunt on engineered rapids in Green River,Wyo_and Ogden, Utah, and challenge your slalom skills on a world- class t raining facility outside of Washington, D.C. Whether the project is a single play feature y added to an existing stream, a diverted channel or a s completely self - contained artificial river surrounded by a stadium, artificial courses across the United _ States are providing local communities with new recreation opportunities. Judging f rom / sports. whitewater water parks Precedent help fuel o a l J ,i _ paddling boom. Olympic paddler- turned - course designer Scott Shipley envisions consumers "taking whitewater for a test drive" on artificial courses complete with moveable obstacles and adjusta ble play features.With the advent of indoor climbing gyms, a new generation of convenience- oriented enthusiasts is now a mainstay of the outdoor sports community. Established boaters salivate at the thought of quality year -round whitewater just minutes from home or work. While all paddlers can appreciate a convenient spot to paddle for fun and fitness, few hear about the behind -the- scenes wrangling needed to secure permits, water rights and s money to bring these water parks to life. With prices ranging from the tens of thousands to the tens of millions, the success of a whitewater park often relies on being able to fund its design and construction. i vV"Vw PADDLERMAGAZINE.COM 81