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<br />'iiiA T::S:. from Page 1 E
<br />H~U, .
<br />. thfs:2 things whiie simultaneously
<br />: creeti:lg some waves and holes
<br />. thae could spin. squirt and cart-
<br />: w:reel ka'iaks.
<br />. ;qo;va.d-avs. recreation and at-
<br />.. tr~cti:!g tourists are the first things
<br />. Lac:; mer:tions. with improving
<br />~~tic habitat and river restara-
<br />: Uor:-a close second.
<br />. ','i',:, Olympic paddling in the
<br />. 1996 acd 2000 Olympic Summer
<br />; Ga:nes, paddle sports have become
<br />:'the fastest growing sport in the
<br />"orr::door recreation industry, ac-
<br />_ CB!1tiIng to t::.e Outdoor Retail Co-
<br />~ a\.itic:! or America.:
<br />And' ~ow traveling kayakers in
<br />: se.s.i."C1 of \vhitewater fun have
<br />"been targeted by an increasing
<br />nurhbe, of Colorado towns hoping
<br />: t<5'"grab a dollar or two from the
<br />eters. And there's a re,aliZatiOn
<br />t the colorful kayaks. can en-
<br />: f)?'.\l.ce a downtown riverfront,
<br />... dryjving even more spectators than
<br />~ participants.
<br />_ '"It's been 2. raving Sllccess; abso~
<br />.lutelv fantastic," says Charlie Fa-
<br />: ga~ "Golden's director of parks and
<br />. r~~reation, v...ho two years ago saw
<br />: LatJ's park design become reality
<br />: on Clear Creek.
<br />, , The seven small drops Lacy de-
<br />:. sf&tfed are Gowded \....ith kayakers
<br />....~ " ..
<br />,every day. At any given time, two
<br />,. dozen spectators are gathered on
<br />: the creek's bank, sitting on the flat
<br />:roc:"s that line the water, eyeing
<br />.J &\'_ery move of the kayakers' river
<br />"dw&e
<br />
<br />: ~iploding popularity
<br />
<br />A fevi times a summer, the
<br />: :;13S.oCG va:k hosts 2,000 to 3,000
<br />:SiJec:2tor's and kayakers for na~
<br />~~o,n;:l c,;;;!;)et:tions. This weekend,
<br />L~e"p~l,':~ ,-Iii! host the world's best
<br />. ',V:1t:':::',r:::~c:- and slalom kayak ath-
<br />'Ie~es, ir.clilding several Olympic
<br />: oaddlers. in a competition for
<br />. 5i.'~.OOO in prize money.
<br />: ~;'~\s a parks and rec director, I
<br />.. " a bull's-eye with this project,"
<br />an savs. "You think it's fun for
<br />\..o.e .~lyakers? It's just as exciting
<br />,for :h~ Jco[)ie on shore. Parks and
<br />. r:;~ ~~~::';;c~ors to.ik, and I always say
<br />>W:~'i ',\','ju!(b't yeu do this?' "
<br />. -r[,~'3: ''''~:;L thc:-e were 300 white-
<br />. WCi'::;~- cOr:1Jeti~ions in the United
<br />s:: :'~S. ~0 0:' '.,..::ich 'Nere held in
<br />~..
<br />
<br />the rocks next to the Golden park
<br />ior a lunch break. "Look at them.
<br />How much is it that \vorth?"
<br />
<br />Bringing more people to town
<br />'.vas the primary impetus for Vail,
<br />where construction on a $240,000
<br />white water park in Gore Creek in
<br />Vail Village is scheduled to begin
<br />in October.
<br />
<br />As many as 30 percent of Vail's
<br />summer guests go rafting, and the
<br />new white water park "allows Vail
<br />to be positioned as a mecca for
<br />wbitewater,"' says Joel Heath, vice
<br />president for visitor services at the
<br />
<br />Vail Valley Tourism and Conven~
<br />tion Bureau.
<br />
<br />"This is prohably one of the most
<br />welcomed issues I have ever stood
<br />in front of the council with," says
<br />Heath. adding Ihat tbe past success
<br />of the annual Jeep Whitewater
<br />Festival, which is this weekend in
<br />Vail. helped garner support for the
<br />new park.
<br />
<br />"Another great benefit is getting
<br />locals who used to live in Vail but
<br />now live down valley to come back
<br />into the village and maybe grab a
<br />beer and dinner." ,
<br />
<br />,Kayaker David Persolja 01 Cleve!
<br />~9ates the churning water through
<br />
<br />
<br />-~"
<br />'. ~o
<br />- -,..~,
<br />- ~ .'
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<br />'-- ~
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