The final walk-through with stakeholders of the nearly $2 million Whitewater Recreation Park took place Tuesday.
Project engineer Shane Sigle said it is 98 percent completed. Minor pieces such as signage still need to be installed. Some might be installed over the next year. The park is on the Illinois River about five miles south of the city.
The project offers class 2 rapids, said Sigle, of Recreation Engineering and Planning in Boulder, Colo.
He explained that the park was designed for optimum use at a water flow of 300 cubic feet per second. On Tuesday, Sigle said, the water was a little higher than usual with a flow of about 400 cubic feet per second.
The rapids were built in such a way that they create a jet effect in the river. The jet effect creates a void around it. Water flows into the void. This creates a natural conveyor for kayakers and canoeists. It pulls them back toward the rapids.
Recreation Engineering and Planning has designed nearly 80 percent of all whitewater parks in the United States, Sigle said. This is the first in Arkansas.
"Studies have shown a huge economic boost from whitewater parks," Sigle said.
Members of Arkansas Canoe Club were showing off in the river on Tuesday. The city of Siloam Springs hosted a day for media to view the park before the grand opening from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 28.
Tom Burroughs, state director for American Canoe Association, said he's floated Fisher Ford for 10 years. Fisher Ford is the name of the road that leads to the park, which draws its name from the area where the road crosses the river: They could either fish or ford there.
Burroughs, who is also education chairman for the Arkansas Canoe Club, said he has been involved in the project since it started.
Heath Carr of Alma said he's floated at the park 15 to 20 times since the rapids were installed earlier this year.
The Walton Family Foundation paid for the project. The land for the park has been donated to the city. The city will maintain the 40 acres.
TSP Environmental of Redford, Mich., was hired as the general contractor on the project.
General News on 06/04/2014