Professor Paddle: If You Really Want a WW Park vanlinelogistics.com Seattle Washington (WA) Warehousing & Order Fulfillment vanlinelogistics.com Seattle Washington (WA) Warehousing & Order Fulfillment vanlinelogistics.com Seattle Washington (WA) Commercial Relocation vanlinelogistics.com Warehousing & Order Fulfillment
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dragorossinw
WW Industry
WW Industry


Joined: 31 Aug 2007
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Posts: 544
  Quote dragorossinw Replybullet Topic: If You Really Want a WW Park
    Posted: 11 Sep 2007 at 10:39am
Portland is in the slow process of getting a whitewater park.  I have sat in on a lot of the info and round tables for the Spokane Park, let me tell you it is a headache, but well worth it.  If Seattle Paddlers are really interested in a park up there, I suggest someone (or several) spearhead the plan by first talking to the Spokane guys and gals, teaming up with the Portland crew while they are in the starting phases, and comming down for a meeting or two (PDX).  Here is who I would talk to, I just have personal emails for all of them, and don't know if they would all like them given out willy nilly, so I will direct you to the forums to ask questions and for contact info.
 
Spokane WW Park:   ask around on the yahoo group site  iewhitewater  to:
Travis Nichols
John Patrouch
Mick French
 
Portlnd WW Park:  theres info on PDXKayaker  or:
Luke Spenser  (NextAdventure) should find email for him on NA's site
and theres always Tom O'Keef with AW who can give advise
 
Things to consider:  Don't pump it up as 'we want a WW Park' but rather find a problem that needs solved, and in the process of solving the problem, we can enhance the river and tourism by adding the park as we fix the problem for 'you'.  Remember, you need to play the game, like it or not, its all about the all mighty dollar and the people who have a say want to know what they can get out of it.  Grants can be written for a lot of state and federal money to enhance fish habitat, problematic man made objects in the water (ie. unused low head dams, diversion cannals, and unused bridge pillars), and revitalization of a river from pollution.  Find a well established orginization who might share your vision of enhansing the river (such as Trout Unlimited, AW, and most important, a local group who already has their ear in with the City Councel of the proposed river).  Don't just consentrate on play features, dump a lot of the cost into adding a park on land with restrooms, play areas, parking, etc; that way you are more likely to get the support of Joe Schmo citizens.  The list goes on, but this is a strating point, so find a problem river with good flows, or a dam control that would be willing to keep a minimum constant flow, scout some sites, and go from there.  Having a couple backup towns and rivers is a good idea to.
 
Tony Z
dragorossinorthwest@yahoo.com
www.nookiekayaking.us
www.dragorossi.com
www.donkeyfIip.com
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