|
A SAMPLING OF 32 PLANNED AND COMPLETED WHITEWATER PARKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
<br />I. REND, NEV., TRUCKEE RIVER: The biggest little city in Amenta also butts tale of the biggest
<br />whitewater parks, a $1.5 mllhon modified river channel completed in 2003.
<br />2. HORSESHOE BEND, Im ND, PAYETTE RIVER: When engineers restored the Papttes fish
<br />habitat in 1995, they added a whitewater feature, creating a play "habitat" for paddlers as well.
<br />3. GREEN RIVER, Wyo.: A modified natural channel right off the interstate has introduced passing
<br />boaters to the two as they play the Green.
<br />4. CASPER, Wyo., NoniH PLATTE RIVER: Casper's 2002 water park has fixed an environmental
<br />oil -spill nightmare and has brought whitewater playboating to the middle of and Wyoming.
<br />5. OGDEN, UTAH, WEBER RIVER: This modified natural river feature was built in 2002 and
<br />provides good play during springtime mnoff.
<br />6. BUENA VISTA, COLO., ARKANSAS RIVER: Buena Vista residents Katie and Jed Selby recently
<br />received a Great Outdoors Colorado grant of nearly $190,000 to add more features near an existing
<br />playhole on the Arkansas River. In addition, the sibling entrepreneurs are proposing an environmentally
<br />friendly housing development, hoping that property values increase with quality playbwting.
<br />7. SAUDA, COLA., ARKANSAS RIVER: One of the country's oldest whitewater parks. Salida re-
<br />engineered the river downtown in 1987 and updated and improved the features in 1995 and, most
<br />recently, in 2002. It's now one of the most spectator - friendly parks in the country, as evidenced by
<br />the loyal crowds at the annual FIBArk Festival.
<br />B. ESTPS PARK, COLO., FALL RIVER: A modified natural channel built in 2003, a stones throw
<br />from the towns countless salt water taffy stores.
<br />9. VAIL, COLO., GORE CREEK: Built in 2002 to control erosion, provide whitewater play and
<br />attract events like the Teva Mountain Games. The mwn is currently soliciting bids to rework the park.
<br />84 PADDLER
<br />10. GOLDEN, COLO., CLEAR CREEK: Guldens famous water is used for more than just Cool
<br />beer —since 1998 this modified natural creek has served up frothy whitewater to local plipholic
<br />It was one of the first such parks funded by the Colorado State Lottery and local municipality an
<br />is one of the whitewater park industry's landmark projects.
<br />I I. STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLO., YAwPA RIVER: These play features am just three blocks frol
<br />Puddler's office door. Built with local grant and donations, the most recent feature, (hadids had,
<br />is named after local Charlie Bearers, who grew up paddling the Yampa.
<br />12. BOULDER, COLO., BOULDER CREEK: This outdoor -loving college town was one of the fin
<br />to be modified so people could play in boat or tubes back in 1990.Whitemeer park designer Gar
<br />Lary has his home on the banks just downstream.
<br />13. DENVER, COLO., SOUTH PLATTE R iVEA /CHERRY CREEK: Confluence Waterpark is th
<br />grand -daddy of them all. Opening in 1974 t a Bond control project and revamped in 1994, Dent
<br />proved the whnewter park axiom: If you build iL they will come.
<br />14. Lyons, COLO., ST. VRASN RIVER: Another of Colorado's malty engineered natural playpark
<br />Lyons was first built in 1990 and remodeled in 1994, with plenty of rocks to [home ham bal quaint
<br />15. PUEBLO, COLO., ARKANSAS RIVER: This large-scale park project built for $2 million an
<br />uniquely funded by the U.S. Artery Corp of Engineers and the City of Puebla, will be dedicated in Mal
<br />Loafed in the heart of downtown, the park aids fish migration, includes eight drops and replaces a
<br />outdated dam.
<br />16. PAGOSA SPRINGS, COLD., SAN JUAN RIVER: Long home in a series of Rosgen fish structures
<br />this innovative project is combining fish habitat enhancements with whitewater play features. The firs
<br />park of its kind on the Southwest's San Juan River, phase one of three was completed this spring
<br />Eventually, the course will be three miles long and include 16 natural, merside hotprings.
<br />17. SANTA FE, N.M., A urt,, RIVER: the (lass Y Tao
<br />it in downtown Santa Fe courtes Oar is just up the road, but those who prefer pmt - work
<br />y of a 1995 river restoration project
<br />N.M
<br />1 8. FAReuNGTON, da find
<br />., ANIMAS RIVER: IBIS 2000 river- nstondon pmie(t yielded
<br />19 FORT WD a rime
<br />up for FO RT W whitewater elsewhere an the Animas.
<br />P piayspot on which to bone _
<br />. UN, TEA., TRINITY RIVER: Text don B •��
<br />a text -sized shuttle 'lid are mmd whitewater within doting distance, but � �UBNUKfJOMN MDERSON, P.E.
<br />swap ends after work' For Worth combined this $140,000 I "M' not eliminate John Anderson and Rick
<br />20. SOUTH BEND, IND., EAST RACE WATERWAY: One of the JtN whitlWBlPf P ayVark with a 2003 dam modifiation.
<br />McLaughlin bring more than
<br />East 'ta(e Waterway has been pm g p ry to w vidin I P36S built in a new artifisJ9 channel, the 20 years of en n
<br />hitewater - starred Midwestemers since 1984 and cundnues t a slalom venue g' eenng
<br />for racers, mmt remndy hosting the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials.
<br />21.
<br />experience to whitewater
<br />WAUSAU. WISC., WISCONSIN RIVER: Built in 1984, Wausau was the first artificial slalom course m the United States, park design
<br />and it's still going strong, hosting the 2001 World (up Finals. Sn and elver
<br />restoration. Together, they're
<br />22. DUCN , TENN., UPPER OCOEE RIVER: This $7.7 million river ncanfiguation turned shoal: abm responsible for the
<br />available and crowded Middle Ocoee into one of the world's premier slalom manes for the 1996 Olympia 1, 113ickerson coupe
<br />e the ever- Maryland,a fish ladder turned
<br />23. el fr oERSON, M D., ParotM[ RIVER With the addition of a few MOM obstacles in 1992 m impmre the in
<br />Chann fr om park and play on the Payette
<br />ponx plant makes a perfen slalom twrse— espedally in winter, when racers weknlne dry' his outflow River, the 1994 u
<br />PROJECTS IN Oe warns -water workout. ✓ Ir upgrade of
<br />THE WO RKS Denver's Confluence Park,
<br />vv" . R;vep engineering the 1996
<br />channel. Giddy -up, one of the latest Wyoming playptkl an the docket, featuring a modified natural Y p OI m ie
<br />course on the
<br />75_ Sn.en, :,,Ri,.r„ ( Sa et R.v , Upper Ocoee. and designing
<br />26 Guws:n , t" Modified natural channel in planning and permitting stages. the Adventure Sport
<br />rte, C" - GL nne.a: Rrv,; ¢: Modified natural channel R. Centers
<br />27 ,. junl
<br />. Gk . 'i,,, in pbnnin B and Coca., C :,�. Cameo Dam specialize in multi - function ND �Irtulating course
<br />R vc. Modified namnl channel az f fish stages AERSON
<br />. in western Maryla
<br />In planning and permitting stages part of !h ladder at nearby nction They
<br />water
<br />28 Auei!em, Cz : :rrer„a, A,te,"" R; +te The largest river rts[ontion in the country will re -cna[e Dow and diversions, ma
<br />beginner and intermediate whitewater at the site of the Auburn Dam, destroyed in a Dood drawn balk h wo difficult engineering
<br />objectives with worid< lass whitewater
<br />.�. McHrwkr. MI:.. Pmride features.
<br />unique, adjustable water features open for trial runs v nen fall. the Center will have an additional whiitaon curse whin feature
<br />and climbing and will be ho rag
<br />Cn me to the Ill
<br />Whitewater Nall to Fame.
<br />na.. o'rr, N C. , 1 1 WH . IFp dams an slated Cen This $15 million sell- contained redreulating course is the most
<br />a whits ever planned in the United States. Scheduled to Open in 2006, the facility will have four channels for slalom training
<br />and whitewater play, and house the offices -
<br />USA Can
<br />hat h Gn._. CHnnaROaREE R r" Two hydra m come down m resume the TA of the
<br />Chattahooch a ochn and Delay Yew ncreabun for dN it-- meenag area
<br />32. whiten ter course �om Mtsnsslavi RlyEn, (onsisteni with the tity's intent m became the "Silent Sp te
<br />new whitewatn course, ramplete with nearly a damn features, will be able to host slilom. (crawl e "a lent__.
<br />Traditional Midwntem hmaitaliry C?pital," its
<br />un cn Arkansas Riv
<br />Meet the Designers
<br />GARY LAcY, P.E
<br />Gary Lacy and his teammates
<br />at Recreational Engineering
<br />and Planning, Inc. have
<br />designed more whltewater
<br />venues than any other
<br />Amerimn fiim.After building a
<br />LACY reputatiOn for relatively quick
<br />and inexpensive projects such as [hone in
<br />Boulder and Golden, Colo., the company
<br />has moved on to more ambitious prole,,,,
<br />including Reno's Truckee River wacerpark
<br />and the IN Whitewater Center in
<br />Charlotte, N.C. A pioneering designer of
<br />artificial courses in the 19gps Lary, has
<br />seen this design discipline evolve
<br />d,,,ly and has responded by enlisting
<br />experienced whitewater experts to
<br />augment his team, including former WoHd
<br />Cup Slalom CLwnpion tumed engineer
<br />Scott Shipley and freestyge Paddler and
<br />river conservationist Mike Harvey
<br />WNITEWATEM P AW INTERNATIONAL
<br />After the
<br />Sydrreyr Olympic Games, the
<br />designers involved in creating else Peniith
<br />Park joined together as Whitewater Parks
<br />Intemational (WPI). This group, which
<br />I
<br />ncludes key associates John Felton, Bob
<br />Campbell. Peter He'eleY and Sherry Spurlin,
<br />has offered its services woHdwid. to
<br />cate commerciallY Noble, self- contained
<br />whreitewater parks that closely follow
<br />since been i�t"�ng model. WPI has
<br />nvolVed in design contests for
<br />die B0 ft Pmes and in preparing New
<br />York City's bid for the 2012 Olympia, j
<br />(CONTINUED ON PAGE YMS
<br />GREEN =PARKS PLANNED /UNDER
<br />CONSTRUCTION
<br />
|