Grand River Whitewater? (Grand Rapids: theater, living in, restaurants)

[AJ Granger]

For those living in GR, what are the odds this whitewater project comes together? Do most GR residents even know about it? Is there any buzz about it?

Being an outdoor enthusiast, maybe my opinion is a little skewed, but I think this would be a HUGE boon for the downtown area.

http://grandrapidswhitewater.org/wp-...nstraints1.pdf


Denver has something of a whitewater course in Confluence Park. Neat little spot. I think if the GR project ever got done though, it would have a much bigger impact on the city than CP has had on Denver. The Grand River is much bigger and it would be a bigger focal point in the city. I think it would be great. What's the word?

CP:

[magellan]

Originally Posted by AJ Granger

For those living in GR, what are the odds this whitewater project comes together? Do most GR residents even know about it? Is there any buzz about it?

Being an outdoor enthusiast, maybe my opinion is a little skewed, but I think this would be a HUGE boon for the downtown area.

http://grandrapidswhitewater.org/wp-...nstraints1.pdf


Denver has something of a whitewater course in Confluence Park. Neat little spot. I think if the GR project ever got done though, it would have a much bigger impact on the city than CP has had on Denver. The Grand River is much bigger and it would be a bigger focal point in the city. I think it would be great. What's the word?

CP:
Attachment 99106

Attachment 99107

They just recently got their engineering report back as to the feasibility. It sounds pretty cool. They just need to raise $27 Million to make it happen.

[AJ Granger]

Originally Posted by magellan

They just recently got their engineering report back as to the feasibility. It sounds pretty cool. They just need to raise $27 Million to make it happen.

Sounds way cool.

Now, granted I can't write a check to make it happen, but I actually thought the $27M price tag was somewhat lower than I was expecting.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by AJ Granger

Sounds way cool.

Now, granted I can't write a check to make it happen, but I actually thought the $27M price tag was somewhat lower than I was expecting.

I think it will look a little more natural than the two examples you posted. They posted some pics on their Facebook page a few weeks ago:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

[AJ Granger]

Originally Posted by magellan

I think it will look a little more natural than the two examples you posted. They posted some pics on their Facebook page a few weeks ago:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

Thanks for the link. That looks great. Hope it happens.

[Bydand]

Wow, sounds and looks like a very cool project for the City. I hope it goes.

[allbusiness]

While I'd rather see a sedate river like in San Antonio, full of little tour boats and gondolas and bordered by restaurants and shops--that's never going to happen! So, this would at least be some some of utilization of the waterfront, which has, for the past 100 years, been no more than an ignored "back door" for business along the river. How this ever happened is beyond me!

[magellan]

Originally Posted by allbusiness

While I'd rather see a sedate river like in San Antonio, full of little tour boats and gondolas and bordered by restaurants and shops--that's never going to happen! So, this would at least be some some of utilization of the waterfront, which has, for the past 100 years, been no more than an ignored "back door" for business along the river. How this ever happened is beyond me!

Grand Rapids would probably have to create some sort of inlet off of the Grand to make that happen. Providence did something similar. In fact, I think the little river in San Antonio is not "real."

All of the dams were added to control the river for all of the industry that used to line it (sawmills, water cooling for furniture mfg, etc.). That's all gone now. Time to bring back mother nature!

[jeeg]

Originally Posted by magellan

Grand Rapids would probably have to create some sort of inlet off of the Grand to make that happen. Providence did something similar. In fact, I think the little river in San Antonio is not "real."

All of the dams were added to control the river for all of the industry that used to line it (sawmills, water cooling for furniture mfg, etc.). That's all gone now. Time to bring back mother nature!

Aaarrgghh.... 5 times tonight I've tried to add reputation to folks but it won't let me.

Yes, I agree. As an avid kayaker I would love for them to put in some rapids like the two photos in one of the posts above.

I hadn't visited downtown in GR in years but went down for a weekend afternoon last month and was pleasantly surprised by the riverwalk they do have now and the restaurants and such nearby.
Definitely worth cultivating further in my opinion.

(I was a cable installer downtown in the 90's so I took a drive down Division etc..... was surprised at all of the gentrification that's been going on. I wonder where all of the people who were displaced live now???)

[notdeconcentrate]

Originally Posted by jeeg

Aaarrgghh.... 5 times tonight I've tried to add reputation to folks but it won't let me.

Yes, I agree. As an avid kayaker I would love for them to put in some rapids like the two photos in one of the posts above.

I hadn't visited downtown in GR in years but went down for a weekend afternoon last month and was pleasantly surprised by the riverwalk they do have now and the restaurants and such nearby.
Definitely worth cultivating further in my opinion.

(I was a cable installer downtown in the 90's so I took a drive down Division etc..... was surprised at all of the gentrification that's been going on. I wonder where all of the people who were displaced live now???)

Just curious...what cross streets of of Division did you seem to think were undergoing gentrification?