Whitewater Parks: Park Planning

Park Planning

Printed From: ProfessorPaddle.com
Category: General
Forum Name: Whitewater Parks
Forum Discription: Chat about different parks that we wish we had.
URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=7334
Printed Date: 02 May 2025 at 4:23am

Topic: Park Planning

Posted By: James
Subject: Park Planning
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2008 at 10:32am

Well, the initial push to get people involved in planning and working towards a whitewater park seems to have started with a bang and quickly died out.

Here are some updates.

1. We have 15 people in the LinkedIn group to help coordinate professional introductions to key city staff. I hate to say it but 15 is just not enough. I think we need more, and we need more than just people that join, we need people to take lead and get some activity going. So if you have not joined this group, please do. Its not a gimic and its not a worthless idea, it is just another approach to help expose this recreational design to city councils. GET INVOLVED.

2. I am traveling around Colorado right now taking photos of WW parks. My goal is to build a good list of parks and the design concepts of these parks. The goal is that once we have introduced the idea to a city, we need examples of different parks. These example must be already developed and hopefully sucessful. So far I have visited 2 parks and I have another 4 on my route in the next 2 days. So far I have seen parks with Artificial design (ie concrete and man made materials) and parks with natural design (ie features only created by rearranging boulders and pre existing river materials cliff sides, old bridge pilings ect..)

WHY am I making another post?

SIMPLE... I am in a state (CO) that has over 12 parks in current operation and every 50 - 70 miles I pass another one. The only reason we don't have one in WA is that our paddling economy is not recognized by cities. The benefit to economy is not from paddlers either. The hikers, fisherman and many others use these parks... I have photos of it. I even interviewed a fisherman that explained why he prefered to fish in the park during low water. The funniest part was when he looked at me and said... you don't fish do you? I responded, well yes I have but that is not my primary past time. He laughed and said, figures. I then again asked why do you like to fish in parks, to which he replied ... do you think fish like being in shallow gravel beds where birds and other animals wait to feed, or do you think they like deep pools where they can feed and stay hidden by the rivers deeper features.... Not a suprise to me but still it was fun to watch a low water whitewater park filled to the brim with fisherman that were in hog heaven!

I am taking photo's and I plan to start doing video interviews with the next set of fisherman and non paddlers that are using these parks since the response from people I have spoken with has been overwhelming.

Lets get amped people. These parks are good for everyone including the fish and wildlife, and in places like the lower cedar where substantial man made changes have already put the river and wildlife in jeopardy, these parks are huge improvements that bring in benefit for everyone.

To wrap it up .... I sat at the Buena Vista play park and read a sign about the old dam that was in place where the park is now located. The sign showed how the design of the dam and concrete banks destroyed the immediate fish and wildlife population, and once removed this stretch literally bounced right back to life. With these types of examples the argument against a whitewater park is going to be less and less founded!

So go Join that LinkedIn group if your a professional that feels they could lend support to this effort. Join in this conversation if you just want to help or take a lead in making this happen. We need numbers and a well positioned approach.

Until my photo update this evening, Thanks for reading and getting involved!!!!

Replies:

Posted By: James
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2008 at 10:35am

Here is a link to the LinkedIn group.

http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/705327 - http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/705327
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr5w3X4R8b4 -
And on the topic of Bill Gates helping us... I hear he is actually looking for some busy work

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Posted By: dave
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2008 at 8:41pm

bla bla bla...........to much to read being ADHD and all...

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Nomad

Posted By: oukr9965
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2008 at 9:11am

Spokane already has the design of their ww park done and I believe the state pitched in a little for it. Don't know much about this stuff, but maybe it's on record somewhere and the conceptual design/cost estimate could be applied to similar type areas around Seattle. Allow the economies of scale to kick-in to reduce costs. Just a thought. I believe the biggest hold-up in Spokane right now is the permitting, which is normally the issue. Good luck.

Another good thing to pillage from the Spokane park could be the return on investment/ cost-benefit analysis. The revenue that these places generate for the local county/city are pretty unbelievable.

Posted By: Chuck e fresh
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2008 at 10:06am

Levenworth, Index and Northbend all could use one ,Bellingham as well the metow. WE should have them on any river and in any town willing to have one. If not for any other reason it's get's people in that town active. It get's kids into somthing fun instead of hanging out at the local gas station. Also I would go rip it up and learn some real moves !!

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There's no such word as can't!so stop making excuses!!!!

Posted By: hugo
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2008 at 10:07am

I agree with dipshit dave... yer just wasting your time, and now ours. Go find a creek

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suck it

Posted By: dragorossinw
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2008 at 10:09am

Before you dive into things, get some contact info for the folks in Spokane who have gone throught the heart aches (Travis Nichols, John Patrouch). They know what it takes in OUR state to get it done......

The most basic thing is... no city will put in a park 'just because' find a problem with a local city's waterway (ei. old briges, low head dam, non comissioned irrigation chanels, etc) Study their dangers and offer the city to FIX IT while doing ENHANCEMENT for the COMMUNITY (not just the whitewater community...walk ways, park grounds, restrooms, yada yadda)! Not just I WANNA WHITEWATER PARK. And remember - car washes and bake sales aint gonna get it built. Think outside the box and join forces with enviro clubs that have money (Trout Unlimited, Seirra Club, etc)

Have fun in CO James. Let me know if you have any questions.

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Tony Z
dragorossinorthwest@yahoo.com
www.nookiekayaking.us
www.dragorossi.com
www.donkeyfIip.com

Posted By: Kiwi
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2008 at 8:16pm

what about converting the wenatchee dam into something like the mosh pit? that would be sweet...

Posted By: 14kayaking2
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2008 at 9:27pm

I can start getting in touch with the city planning commissioners of both Buena VIsta, and Salida in Colorado. As I have said both communities have begun to completely reshape/ re-invigorate the local economy there. It went from a lot of "rough around the edges" type people to a lot of new money being piped into the economy.

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"We are only boaters between swims" Matty

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