The Fords profile sheet.

[Chris palmer]

I had to write a profile sheet for English this semester. I figured why not do it on the new ford. I'm not really looking for pointers on the profile. Feel free to post anything you want though. I just thought that people here would enjoy reading it.

The Siloam Springs Kayak Park.
This park is located on the Illinois River. It’s not an official park, but the land is owned by the city. Several of the Walton’s enjoy whitewater paddling. So the Walton family foundation bought, developed, and donated the park to the city of Siloam Springs. There are two main play waves, and several different pools for learning to roll. This park is not really for non-boaters to swim in, although you can swim in it. People not in the whitewater community don’t understand the dangers of this park. “People need to understand the difference between prepared sites such as Big Splash and, a wild and scenic river manipulated to enhance the boating experience.” The park has been developed for boaters to further their skills. There have been several people severely injured in and near this park. Not to mention all the people that are killed or maimed in water ways all over the country.
The park has always been there, but it was a lot different, and people called it by a different name “The Ford”. Formally known as The Fishers Ford. The Ford really only had one feature. If you were learning how to paddle, or all other rivers were to low to paddle. That’s one of the first places you went. I went there at 9 years of age. Then, the land around the river was owned by a farmer. This man was not very friendly when it came to boaters. He viewed the wild Illinois River as his land. He would often wave his gun around to intimidate people. I remember gun shots in the distance most of the times I was there. The only access to The Ford then was about 100 yards upstream. We wouldn’t dare step on his land. So we walked back upstream when we were done. When it was cold outside, we would sneak through the woods on the opposite side of the river. Every time I thought, if this guy catches us he might shoot this time. I was a kid though, and I doubt my step dad would have put me in any real danger. As far as us boaters go, we don’t have to worry about a crazy farmer anymore. It is something way worse, The Gaper. “There are more people that get in the way, because they don’t know the rules of the river.”
The only problems the park has now is an abundance of people. “A good grasp of what the environment is and what it can do is important.” There have been some serious non-boater injuries at this park. Foot damage and head lacerations are a common injury. Dislocation of knees and shoulders have happened. An ambulance has been called three different times for injuries at the park. That does not include the young man that died of a blood clot that was swimming downstream of the park. The park was used as an entry point to access the scene.
The engineers and the city are not done developing the park. Plans to fix the second wave have been mentioned, but not approved. A whitewater awareness day has been mentioned, but not approved yet. “It will be basically for non-boaters that have seen people kayaking, wanted to try it, but never have.” More park benches will be going in a little downstream of the second wave. There is no cooking, no fishing, no glass bottles, and your dog has to be under physical or voice control.
The Ford has died (A moment of silence please) and like a phoenix, The Siloam Springs Kayaking Park is what came from the ashes. Sure we have to deal with gapers, and with all tourism spots the occasional non-English speaking Asian family. Who cares, we can bring our dogs, and if you have a jimmy rigged stove hooked up in your bread van, that you turned in to a gear truck/camper. Then we can still have a cook out. In my opinion, The Ford is 100 times better then it was.