Dallas Whitewater Park Closed

[Big Daddy D]

[Go on Paddle Texas... ...and try to clear your name.

Wait... what? How would you... Huh? Splane to me how that would work!

I know, a stretch. It'd only be seen by 3 paddlers and 1 troll anyway.

[MaxTexan]

Good reading the night beore before interviewed... I gave about 60 minutes of talk to a CNN crew earlier in the year.. the story ended up with 15 sec of me saying something that was out of context. Media!

[Justinb83]

I still plan on heading out there in the next few days. Anyone have thoughts on what repercussions would be? Other than being run off by the construction crew. Is there a river access point anywhere nearby that'd be a paddleable distance?

[Cowper]

Big Daddy,
Glad you've come around. I was just about to put together a few thoughts, but it all started with the notion that if Justin enjoyed playing there, then he sure didn't want to see it closed any more than the rest of us.

Having the person who was originally quoted on our side has got to help in getting this turned around. Justin, I'd encourage you to send an e-mail to some of those city officials, and give them a short accounting of your true feelings.

It seems that maybe the one station has already laid out a "position" and may choose to stick with it just to save face; is there any chance you can influence a competing station or newspaper to tell the other side of the story?

[ARzach]

is there any chance you can influence a competing station or newspaper to tell the other side of the story?

This was my thought exactly. You may also look for local bloggers. I would imagine there are plenty of would-be writers in the Dallas Metro area, maybe some of them could assist in spreading the word.



--Z

[gannon_w]

I don't see what is so bad about the boat ramp. Did they want a completely flat float through?

[Fish]

I assume you've written and submitted editorial page articles to counter this heavily slanted article? I don't know what real safety issues there might be, but clearly that article is one-sided. Assuming the park really is "broken", no attempt is made to discuss how it might be fixed or of any positives that come from having the feature.

I'd try to educate in at least three ways:

1) Similar whitewater parks in CO, CA, NC and elsewhere exist and are not associated with increased incidence of injuries and fatalities. They are, however, correlated to increased incidence of attracting tourism dollars.

2) Get the statistics on water-recreation related incidents of injuries and deaths in Texas over the past decades. I'd bet the Trinity R. has injured and killed many times without the"help" of a whitewater park. I'd also bet that there are at least an order of magnitude more recreation-related incidents on lakes each year in the Dallas area. So, by the logic of this article, clearly the lakes should be closed to the public? Or perhaps just close the docks and marinas that enhance and enable boating and swimming?

3) Some real facts and statistics about whitewater paddling hazards need to be presented, and an emphasis on PFD and helmet safety should be made. If there is not already clear signage for both downstream boaters and on the banks discussing proper safety for navigating and playing in the feature, I'd strongly suggest getting that in ASAP.

Just some thoughts. Good luck with everything.

- Fish

[Cowper]

Good suggestions, Fish (and congrats on the new baby!)

Since I feel those of us moved to post, should also be sufficiently moved to send an e-mail of support, here's what I sent to the City Managers listed above, with a cc: to the reporter. It's a bit long, but like Fish I'll provide it here so others can borrow from any ideas they like and rework it into a letter of their own. (It was written before I learned that a portage path is already available, but other than that I think I got the major points right.)

In Support of the Dallas Whitewater Park

I am a long time boater from Arkansas, who has been following with interest the building of the Dallas Whitewater Park (DWP), and looking forward to the day I could visit it.

I was dismayed to see a very one-sided report on the DWP on WFAA news. Somehow they located a relatively new kayaker to interview, and then referred to him as “one of the few who dares ride these waves.” Nothing could be further from the truth. There are hundreds of kayakers, canoeists, tubers, and other water enthusiasts who would flock to this park, including some like myself who would come to Dallas from other states, except that shortly after it was opened, the city closed it. My understanding was that the initial closure was due to ongoing construction in the area which made it an unsafe construction zone, not an unsafe river.

The kayaker in question has even logged in to our Arkansas Canoe Club web site, to apologize to us and to let us know that he didn’t want the park closed. In fact, let me quote what he told us about his interview with the news crew: “I was just going for a paddle and got flooded with cameras. Out of a 45 min interview they took out one line about the canoe bypass and spun it.”

They also found and interviewed a woman who said “If I had to be there another minute, I might have not been able to fight back to the surface, even with the life preserver”. I’m sure that this statement is a true account of what she was feeling at the time, but that does not make it true. Designers of whitewater parks are very aware of how river hydraulics work, and know that they must be designed so that a swimmer is NOT held under for more than a few seconds. Some people panic when their head unexpectedly goes underwater for even a few seconds, as in learning to swim or when they fall off a boat. It does not follow from this fact that lakes or swimming pools too dangerous to allow public access; similarly, the fact that one or two people may experience momentary panic when floating through the DWP is not a just cause for closure to all.

There have also been concerns expressed that the boat channel bypass is “too rough” for some canoes to pass. Canoeists come in all varieties; some like whitewater, some like only moving water, and some do not care for anything beyond lakes and ponds. However, this is not a cause for an expensive “fix” to the DWP boat channel. The solution is simple – construct a sidewalk so that those who do not want to run their boat through a few waves have the option of carrying their boat a short distance around the drop. This is no more difficult than carrying the boat from the car or truck down to the launch site, and allows those who want only a gentle downriver float to easily bypass the waves entirely while still enjoying the rest of the river.

So for safety and peace of mind, a sidewalk may be needed, if there is not already one there. There should be a few signs to require floaters to wear life jackets, and to recommend appropriate safety gear for kayakers, just as many skateboard parks require helmets. But there is no need for total re-engineering or massive expenditures to “fix” the park. And I would especially urge you to not hire any engineering firm that does not have an extensive resume of prior whitewater park design experience. To do so only risks destroying the potential of this park.

This whitewater park is no more dangerous to boaters, than a bike trail is to bikers or a jogging trail to joggers. Please don’t cut Dallas off from the tourism and other benefits this project could provide; please reconsider your position and reopen the Dallas Whitewater Park!

[Cowper]

One more thought, then I'm move on down the road:

If you have an opinion on this, please click on the links Big Daddy D provided and send at least a one-line e-mail to support reopening of the park.

You don't have to do research of accident rates as Fish suggested. You don't have to write a long-winded letter as I did. A single, one or two line e-mail saying that you want the park reopened to the public is all it takes to make a difference. The Government official may not even read what we send; it may be read by a staffer or intern. But they do keep track, either officially or mentally, of how many are "for", and how many "against". It helps influence their final decisions.

If you have an opinion, take a few seconds and let them know what it is.

[cpresoz]

Excellent, Cowper. We should all follow suit and spin the positives to the city administrators in a short note.

[RandyJ]

Great ideas above, to which I would add:
> pick a day, and let's get a 100 boaters down there. Would/could they arrest or cite us all?
> Let's get a Dynamic Duo or two there, and gear up one of the local media types for an on-water experience - a good one, of course.

Big Daddy, can't imagine the frustration you must be feeling. We've been pushing for something here in Tulsa for 20 years. To finally have gotten something built and then shut down - well, pretty sure I'd just lose it on the spot. Hang in there, surely cooler heads will prevail in due time.

[FarPastGone]

Seriously Dallas could have used that money to invest in protective bubbles for its citizens. What a bunch of assbackwards idiots. Conservative enough to complain about kids not getting outdoors, but soft and fruggle enough to worry about some great local outdoor opportunities being too outdoorsy.

...and to think of the horror of a 200 yard portage in 90 degree heat with a heavy canoe!

Give me a break.

- Matt

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

More facts, please.

Is the park really closed or was that a temporary sign put up during the overhead construction? What department of the city closed it and what official in that department made that decision? What was the basis for the decision? Who has been in contact with the city official(s) responsible for the closing?

The water level looks to be several feet higher in the city's advertising photo (# 13 in the gallery) than in a photo from the newsclip (# 12). Was the feature designed to remain friendly at very low flows?

On a side note that is of no consequence, that is one ugly load of concrete, gabions, and stone work! Sorry. I hope the ACC ends up with a more natural appearing finished project at Malvern. Has the cost estimate come in for Malvern yet?

Captain Aleve, alias Mike Coogan

[Justinb83]

Hey guys thanks for your understanding! If I knew the news had any intention on spinning the story there no way I would of accepted. I think the rival story ideas great if there's anyway that can be arranged. Other then that I'm going to go out there in the morning and see what happens!

[MaxTexan]

Justin, keep us updated as to what ahppens.. unless you are jailed and wanting bail money.. only joking....bad joke!

I was hoping to paddle there when I come over this week.