Posted by Chip Richards in Whitewater on 29. Jul, 2010 | 0 Comments
“A creative economy is the fuel of magnificence.” Ralph Waldo Emerson. Have you noticed Grand Rapids has been doing a magnificent job with our new creative economy? Medical Mile is world class with the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Lack’s Cancer Research Center and now Michigan State University Medical School. Look at the $70 million LEED [...]
Our rapids are grand, or at least they may be, once again. There is a lot of talk of a “kayak park” being built downtown on the Grand River. Yes, there could be new recreational opportunities for the river, new whitewater adventure sports like kayaking and canoeing, but the real goal of GRWW is to [...]
Regarding the return of rapids to the Grand, the Michigan DNR went on record saying, “We’re very open to the idea of doing this on the Grand River. We think it would actually probably improve the fish habitat in that area. And, you know, one of the reasons of course we’re supportive too is it creates [...]
WARNING: Stay away from the 6th St and Bridgewater dams. Exit the river above the Fish Ladder (we use the East side, upriver of Sixth St) and put in below Bridge St at Ah-Nab-Awen Park. The foremost priority of GRWW is river safety. Our organization is focused on remediating the inherent dangers of the lowhead [...]
If nothing else, we need to make our river safer. The lowhead dam, top, is referred to as a drowning machine. Replacing the existing lowheads, known locally, and erroneously as cofferdams, would create a safer experience for river users. Lowhead dams produce a dangerous, perfect hydraulic that is difficult to navigate and too often impossible [...]
April 24, 2010. We have the rest of the story. The two fishermen refused to talk on camera, but we have an eyewitness account of the near tragedy. Another story of a capsized boat and near drowning at one of five lowhead dams, downtown. The two men were motoring up river on the East side, [...]
Rapid Magazine, an international paddling publication, recently picked up our story. Stay tuned for the article.
Posted by Chip Richards in Advocacy on 27. Mar, 2009 | No Comments
This is what we believe the Grand River will look like one day. We are now one very important step closer to realizing the dream of restoring rapids in the Grand. “The ‘preferred alternative’ outlines 2 phases for improving recreational opportunities in the Grand River. Phase 1 consists of two tasks: modifying the dams downstream [...]
Posted by Chip Richards in Whitewater, Whitewater Parks on 25. Mar, 2009 | No Comments
In 2004, Reno transformed a neglected industrial section of their Truckee River and Wingfield Park into a beautiful whitewater course and successful tourist destination. In an attempt to diversify its attractions, “The Biggest Little City” is selling itself as “America’s Adventure Place,” or so the tourist tag line goes.
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