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Cpimlinued from 1C tg from constructing river drop -offs that create froth for boaters to restoring criwk banks. His work often includes p pning for bridges and benches along the -way for those who just want to take itallinwithout gettingwet. ," Whitewater parks are great, but if that's all you build, you're missing a huge percentage of the population," said LOW, who works behind his house on Boulder Creek in a small building that contains storage space for his boating 994r. . _H}s company, Recreation Engineering and•Planning, has handled projects cost- ing, anywhere from $20,000 to multimil- ligpp to build. A few of the Colorado projects Lacy's firm has had a hand in: H m Gore Creek Whitewater Park in U1; a river project completed in 2000 that cost about $130,000; � -a Breckenridge Blue River Whitewa- tff,Yark, a 2000 -02 project that cost $300,000; - - Clear Creek Whitewater Park, a $2QA,000 river park in downtown Gold- ek:' Vail's investment has paid for itself by pumping millions of dollars into the lo- egtoconomy. During a five -day competi- tiionthis spring, the city drew an estimat- ed $1.4 million in extra spending due poly to crowds that gathered to watch wIttewater rodeo events. 46ften kayaking takes place in remote wilderness areas," said avid kayaker Ian Anderson, spokesman for the Vail Valley Chamber Tourism Bureau. "These �vi V 4tewater pga�l, competitions allow us Ito ghowcase thb fastest growing aspect' of the sport right in downtown Vail." To make the water features boaters crave, Lacy and his crew use natural riv- er rock and small amounts of grout to di- rect the flow of the river and create waves and eddies, or swirling currents. Lacy regularly gets calls from whitewa- ter enthusiasts who want to see the same type of river enhancements where they live.. ' A typical voicemail goes likes this: "Hey dude, I want a rad wave in my town, you've got to come up here." But he sticks to working with munici- palities. Golden contends its whitewater park, one of Lacy's biggest feats, helps pump some $2 million ayear into the local econ- omy. Other towns also say their parks provide a hefty boost by bringing more tourists and events to town. "A heck of a lot of visitors like to watch these crazy people in the river," said Wil Smith, executive director of the Estes Park Urban Renewal Authority. Estes Park has built the first portion of its whitewater kayaking course and plans to add to it as it completes more ri- verbank improvements. Down the road in Lyons, once known more as a town visitors passed through on the way to Rocky Mountain National Park, a river project has been an attrac- tion forlocals as well as tourists. "It's not just for kayakers," said Am Hayden, a Lyons resident who • spear- headed the effort for the city's river& ont project, which has attracted fishermen, picnickers and people who just want to frolic in the water or float down the river in inner tubes. Hayden said several new residents of the town moved there specificaWso they could recreate minutes away from home, a trend that has helped fuel the Fair- reaching business The popularity of whitewater parks and river projects has spread throughout the nation and overseas. Some out -of -state projects by Lacy and his firm: n Asheville, N.C., French Broad River • Brkbane,Australa, Brisbane River • Bryson City, N.C. Nantahala River • Cakary, Alberta, Bow River • Charlotte, N.Q: U.S. National Whitewater Center a Dallas, Trinity River • Fort Worth, Trinity River • Hadley, N.Y., Sacandaga River .0 Johnstown, Pa, Stony Creek River u Oil qty, Pa, AI legheny River s: Queenstown, New Zealand Hawea River ■ Salmon, Idaho, Salmon River • Reno- Sparks,Nev.,Truckee River • Sun Valley, klaho, Big Wood River • TengmArb, Salt River - • Watertown, MY, Black River • Yaklma, Was1L,Yakima River boom in local kayak courses. "Gary's the reason we have these whitewater parks," said Hayden, a kay- aking fanatic himself. "It's not because of any huge financial gain he gets. He comes out and designs them, but he's also slapping the grout on." While Lacy had the market to himself for years, a few competitors have popped up recently to take advantage of the i growing demand for whitewater parks around the country. At least two ri- val firms have set up shop in Coloiltdo, one in Durango and another in Denver. With his own business booming, Lacy jumped at the chance three years ago to hire Scott Shipley, a three -time Olympian who competed on the U.S. whitewater team from 1990 to 2002. When Shipley called about a possible job, Lacy hired himbefore he could finish his sentence. "Don't you want me to send a re- sume ?" asked Shipley, who has a gradu- ate degree in mechanical engineering. "Gary said, `If it makes you feel better.'" After Shipley joined the company, he found the e-mail on the computer sys- tem with his resume attached. Lacy had never opened it. "I thought, if he's gotten even a basic engineering degree, he's in," Lacy said. "Everyone knows Scott Shipley." Lacy said the most difficult part of his work involves the politics and personali- .ties, the permits and financing — all of what he calls "the invisible stuff' of build - ingparks and fixing up riverfronts. "It can't be underestimated," he said. "Somebody can have a pile of money and a river, and it doesn't mean it's going to get built." A controversy erupted when some mu- nicipalities filed for water rights to con- trol river flows for their kayak courses. But they won in the end. "No water is being taken or used up," said Anne Castle, water rights attorney and partner with Denver law firm Hol- land & Hart. "It's to ensure a segment of the stream can't be depleted... by any future development upstream." Lacy said he also designs his projects to make riverfronts safer. In Reno, vertical concrete walls sepa- rated the Truckee River from town. Lacy created terraced bank.* con- necting paths that allow children to get closerto the parts ofthe riverwhere wad- Flo . e �y -, kill ing is possible. But fast - moving water inn many spots requires special equipmbntV and precautions. Hoff In Pueblo this week, alongthe coursdbiz the state's newest whitewater park 'W! 14- year -old died of ter an inflatable air ni*,J tress he rode on burst on a rock. The va tiro was not wearing a helmet, life j 4 or wetsuit, three pieces of gear Lacy ag othernverveteransconsidervital, L'w Lacy said few people campal 9I against the projects, which have b I credited with restoring fish habitats.,k�$! creating conditions fish need for spav�}� Mg, migrating and surviving variR , types of weather and river flows. 11 -s Development has taken its toll on magi rivers, as cities redirect, straighten and de nude portions of them or dam them flood control and other purposes. •' "We're re- creating what was once there by mimicking the way the river makes drops itself," Shipley said.- " real trick is not so much creating wave, but creating one the fish can miil grate on." Still, the economics tend to grab the most attention. A whitewater course in Gunnison 1 host the Colorado Adventures i Festival this weekend, a whitewater toln, deo drawing both athletes and.visitorN While.,many local residents have ,�� f come smitten with water sports act#vll , ties, "competitions bring in touristQj said Jane Chaney, director of the GunWr son - Crested Butte Tourism Assoc* - tion. ke11W @RockyM6untainNews.comor ,;,)fl 303 -892 -5068 t15l 1 River workonlypartofthe a