Pete
02-07-2006, 07:42 AM
Another great idea on the drawing board!
Perhaps it could be located somewhere near the boathouse and skatepark, thereby creating a river activity zone.
Projects could bring kayaking to downtown
By John Sutter
The Oklahoman
Oklahoma City, the capital of a state known for its dusty plains and often-dry riverbeds, may be the future site of flowing rapids and white-water kayaking.
Floating an apparent trend of cities that have built urban white-water kayaking venues, Oklahoma City is looking at developing an area of the Oklahoma River for kayaks and canoes.
The city's Riverfront Redevelopment Authority heard a presentation last week from Recreation Engineering & Planning, a group based in Boulder, Colo., that has built kayak water parks in other cities. Oklahoma City's economy and recreation opportunities would be well-served by such a water park, the group's representative said.
"There's tons of potential," said Mike Harvey, from the firm.
"Just like Oklahoma City's already figured out, recreational money spent on a river will return tenfold easily," Harvey said.
Trust members seemed keen on the idea. Ward 5 Councilman Jerry Foshee expressed support, as did Vice Chairman Don Kaspereit.
"It's really exciting to see how young it (the Oklahoma River) is and how quickly it's come about. It's just going to snowball from here," Kaspereit said.
The plan is still in its earliest stages. Harvey said he will be back in three or four months with specific proposals. Kayak and canoe water parks can range in length from 200 to 2,000 feet. He said he will bring city officials "options that run the spectrum."
Harvey said it is too early to speculate how much a venture of this type would cost, but it's clear that it would involve several river alterations.
For white-water kayaking to be possible, water must move downhill to create some semblance of rapids and flowing water, Harvey said. He showed slides of parks in other cities where berms were built in the ground so that the water cascades downward over a distance.
Another issue that must be addressed is water volume.
John Rhodes, who manages Oklahoma River corridor projects for the city, said it's unclear where the rapids would be built. He said one option would be to build a closed-circuit water park beside the river, if it turns out not enough water flows down the Oklahoma River to support a kayaking project. The city will know more when Harvey comes back with proposals, he said.
Rhodes said it's too soon to say how the project would be funded. City or private money, or both, may be used if the city chooses to move forward with the idea, he said.
Harvey said he investigated the Oklahoma River on Monday, and whatever plans he brings back for city consideration will be specific to Oklahoma City conditions.
Kayaking in manmade areas is a trend that started in the mid-1990s and is "absolutely exploding right now," he said.
Harvey said similar projects have been economic engines for other communities. He cited Golden, Colo., which he said saw a $2 million economic boost each of the two years after it built a water park.
During the meeting, members of the trust seemed interested by the idea of kayaking in Oklahoma City. It's an idea so off-beat it might work, Dave Lopez, president of Downtown Oklahoma City Inc., said later.
That's a pitching point Harvey realizes, but he says what these parks can accomplish is larger than pleasing outdoor enthusiasts.
"We know we can make white-water paddlers happy," he said. "It's about making the whole community happy."
Perhaps it could be located somewhere near the boathouse and skatepark, thereby creating a river activity zone.
Projects could bring kayaking to downtown
By John Sutter
The Oklahoman
Oklahoma City, the capital of a state known for its dusty plains and often-dry riverbeds, may be the future site of flowing rapids and white-water kayaking.
Floating an apparent trend of cities that have built urban white-water kayaking venues, Oklahoma City is looking at developing an area of the Oklahoma River for kayaks and canoes.
The city's Riverfront Redevelopment Authority heard a presentation last week from Recreation Engineering & Planning, a group based in Boulder, Colo., that has built kayak water parks in other cities. Oklahoma City's economy and recreation opportunities would be well-served by such a water park, the group's representative said.
"There's tons of potential," said Mike Harvey, from the firm.
"Just like Oklahoma City's already figured out, recreational money spent on a river will return tenfold easily," Harvey said.
Trust members seemed keen on the idea. Ward 5 Councilman Jerry Foshee expressed support, as did Vice Chairman Don Kaspereit.
"It's really exciting to see how young it (the Oklahoma River) is and how quickly it's come about. It's just going to snowball from here," Kaspereit said.
The plan is still in its earliest stages. Harvey said he will be back in three or four months with specific proposals. Kayak and canoe water parks can range in length from 200 to 2,000 feet. He said he will bring city officials "options that run the spectrum."
Harvey said it is too early to speculate how much a venture of this type would cost, but it's clear that it would involve several river alterations.
For white-water kayaking to be possible, water must move downhill to create some semblance of rapids and flowing water, Harvey said. He showed slides of parks in other cities where berms were built in the ground so that the water cascades downward over a distance.
Another issue that must be addressed is water volume.
John Rhodes, who manages Oklahoma River corridor projects for the city, said it's unclear where the rapids would be built. He said one option would be to build a closed-circuit water park beside the river, if it turns out not enough water flows down the Oklahoma River to support a kayaking project. The city will know more when Harvey comes back with proposals, he said.
Rhodes said it's too soon to say how the project would be funded. City or private money, or both, may be used if the city chooses to move forward with the idea, he said.
Harvey said he investigated the Oklahoma River on Monday, and whatever plans he brings back for city consideration will be specific to Oklahoma City conditions.
Kayaking in manmade areas is a trend that started in the mid-1990s and is "absolutely exploding right now," he said.
Harvey said similar projects have been economic engines for other communities. He cited Golden, Colo., which he said saw a $2 million economic boost each of the two years after it built a water park.
During the meeting, members of the trust seemed interested by the idea of kayaking in Oklahoma City. It's an idea so off-beat it might work, Dave Lopez, president of Downtown Oklahoma City Inc., said later.
That's a pitching point Harvey realizes, but he says what these parks can accomplish is larger than pleasing outdoor enthusiasts.
"We know we can make white-water paddlers happy," he said. "It's about making the whole community happy."