Push is on for whitewater park

Paddlers and downtown interests are eager to harvest some of the Spokane River’s unutilized recreational value.

But first they need some seed money.

The Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club has joined area businesses to raise $45,000 needed for the design, permit and engineering phase of developing a whitewater park on the Spokane River near the new Sandifur pedestrian bridge.

The whitewater park is among 15 projects identified in a master plan for the proposed Spokane River Gorge Park that would extend downstream from Spokane Falls. Rock features would be designed into the river to create waves that would make a playground for everyone from expert paddlers to inner-tubers — and possibly good habitat for fish, too.

If about 20 other whitewater parks across the nation are any indication, the wave features would attract canoeists, kayakers, sport rafters and groups of spectators, locally and out-of-state, to an untapped opportunity within walking distance of downtown.

“We could be the first whitewater park in the Northwest,” said John Patrouch, a club member who’s helping spearhead the fund-raising campaign. “How would that be? Spokane being the first? I say let’s do it.”

The club kick-started the campaign recently with a $2,000 donation and offered to match individual donations up to $2,750 until April 30, said Linda White, club spokeswoman.

“In just a few weeks, the club raised nearly $15,000,” said Mike Edwards of the Spokane Downtown Partnership and Friends of the Falls. “Businesses like Mountain Gear and Global Credit Union stepped up quickly and brought the total to around $22,000.”

“We’re halfway to the goal for the first phase,” Patrouch said. “But we need to raise the rest soon.”

Raising the money is important to show the Washington Legislature that Spokane is serious about the Gorge Park project and worthy of the $425,000 the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce has requested in its 2005 legislative request for developing the whitewater park, Edwards said.

“We need this to leverage what we estimate to be a potential $3 million a year economic impact to Spokane,” he said.

Other priorities to enhance the 400-acre river gorge through downtown Spokane include a scenic boulevard along the river’s north bank, restoring bank vegetation, a Native American cultural center, connections to the Centennial Trail and enhancing parks along the south bank of the river.

Properly designed, the whitewater park stream structures could improve habitat for fish, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists said.

“It could be positive for fish habitat if the design is done by somebody with knowledge of hydraulics and fisheries, and that would be looked into during the permitting process,” said Chris Donley, department district fisheries biologist,

Capitalizing on the whitewater potential of city rivers isn’t a new concept.

Fort Worth, Tex., boosted its downtown appeal last year by creating waves in a formerly placid stretch of the Clear Fork of the Trinity River.

Reno, Nev., opened a $1.5 million whitewater course in May on the Truckee River and about a dozen casino-hotels are offering low-priced package deals combining lodging and kayak rentals.

In Colorado, resort towns including Breckenridge, Vail and Steamboat Springs are marketing their local whitewater features to lure kayakers in the skiing off-season.

A New York Times story featuring whitewater parks noted that Charlotte, N.C., plans to break ground this year for a park using water from the Catawba River to create a custom-made river with adjustable rapids. An analysis projects the Charlotte area will reap $36.7 million a year in economic benefits from the project, the Times reported.

The sudden abundance of watercraft around these rivers has sparked interest not only in more economic development but also in making sure the rivers stay clean.

That’s the type of chain reaction Friends of the Falls hope to start with a whitewater park on the Spokane River.

Patrouch said he’s seen a lot of worthy projects to enhance Spokane, but nothing makes more sense than making the most of the Spokane River.

“I had to ask myself, ‘Why did I move to Spokane (in 1988)?’ ” he said. “I moved here to live close to a river. It’s really a dream to be able to live in a city with a river like this. And a whitewater park would make it even better.”