Kayak Park In The Works On Illinois River (Arkansas)

[bfishn]

Some will laugh,
Some will cry,
Some will pause and wonder why.

http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=441282

"There's going to be engineered rapids, there's also going to be a climbing wall, area for picnicking, kind of a low beach area for small kids to hang out on, it's just going to be a beautiful area."

The kayak park will cost about 1.7 million dollars, but is fully funded by the Walton Family Foundation.

I wonder how/if this will play in the ChickiePoo War...?

[ollie]

It's about time! I had signed a petition years ago to have one built, but thought it would be built closer to Fayetteville or Fort Smith. I will go to it I'm sure. They still fighting over who's responsible for that crap?

[bfishn]

Yep, still at it. Currently OK is trying to adopt reasonable new TDSLs, while the chickens are trying to kick the can another decade down the road. Maybe some extra public interest in the headwaters will finally draw it to a close. Maybe not, those chickens have some 'spensive lawyers. :-)

[marcusearlt]

Man, a kayak park huh, that actually sounds like a lot of fun. I had never even dreamed of something like that. I have never even been in a kayak but that Jackson Coosa is looking sweeter everyday. Several times a year we go down to AR-59 Canoeing & Rafting and they take us up river and put us in at Fisher Ford bridge. I wonder how this will affect their operation, if at all. Anyhow, should be interesting to see how this develops.

[ollie]

Wanted to bring this back to the top. According to this link they are almost done with the park. I must say, I was a little disappointed to see they actually just added a lot of rock to the existing streambed. I thought they were actually going to make an artificial park to the side of the river and make it like an Olympic style course. I will check it this summer though and report back. It might be a blast for all I know.

http://www.nwaonline.com/photos/galleries/2013/dec/31/whitewater-recreation-park-31-12-2013-10-44-20/

[DaddyO]

$1.7 Million dollars for 100 yards of Class II rapids? Sounds like about 5 seconds of fun......... I'm guessing some of that money filtered somewhere else besides into that project.

[Quillback]

$1.7 Million dollars for 100 yards of Class II rapids? Sounds like about 5 seconds of fun......... I'm guessing some of that money filtered somewhere else besides into that project.

They used Italian Alpine marble for those rocks. Very expensive stuff. The chicken poop filtration plant that they had to place up stream wasn't cheap either..

[2sheds]

Check the design. Benchmak against the fiasco on Trinity River in downtown Dallas. Spent upteen million for a Whitewater run. Deemed deadly by sport kayakers and also ruined that river section for thru-floaters. Perfecdt Win-Lose-Lose proposition. Someone got paid, Kayakers are not happy, Canoers are terribly bummed.

[chub minnow]

I've looked at it. They are putting a good amount of work into the park area including a sidewalk to carry back up to the head of the run. The run shouldn't adversely affect canoe traffic. You can go around or easily run it in a canoe. It's some pretty tame class II if that's what they are calling it. If you can't handle it, you shouldn't be in a canoe (or allowed to walk around in public without a keeper).

[ollie]

I was hoping for challenging class II & III water. Sounds like I will be let down.