Advocate ‘not overly optimistic’
A whitewater park for kayakers, surfers and other water sport enthusiasts is unlikely to open near the Saskatoon weir any time soon, even if a hydroelectric project is developed in the area.
“We’re not overly optimistic, but we’re happy that it’s being talked about again,” said Kent Gray, a longtime supporter of the park who sits on the city’s whitewater park committee.
The idea of a whitewater park was first floated in 2008 as part of a proposed $65-million weir development project that included a hydropower facility, park and pedestrian bridge. At the time, the provincial government’s tourism branch — which had been asked to shell out $600,000 to support the whitewater park — expressed interest in it, but made it clear it would only pitch in if a hydroelectric plant was also built.
Public discussions about a plant have been stagnant until this week, when civic officials released a report stating that private companies have expressed interest in partnering with the city on a hydroelectric project.
“It took me by surprise,” said Ken Dueck, an executive director with Tourism Saskatchewan, which was a branch of the provincial government when discussions about the hydroelectric project were last happening.
“I haven’t heard anything on this file for a number of years.”
He said he’s not sure whether the Crown corporation is still prepared to financially support the project.
“Because it’s been kind of a dormant file for us, I’d be kind of hesitant to comment,” he said.
Karen Webb, a spokeswoman for the provincial ministry of parks, culture and sport — which used to house the tourism branch — said the province “is currently not involved in this project” and that the city has not made an application for funding beyond the request for $600,000 that was made in 2010.
Cliff Smith, a Saskatoon engineer who did some of the original feasibility studies of the weir development, said even if a hydroelectric project is now economically viable, a whitewater park probably isn’t. He said constructing a park in tandem with a hydro station would “drastically affect” the cost of the station.
“That’s just absolutely out of the question as far as Saskatoon’s concerned,” he said. “At this time, I can’t see how the whitewater park could go along with it and be economical.”
Al Peterson, another member of the whitewater park committee, said it’s possible for a whitewater park to be built as a separate project after the development of a hydroelectric plant.
“There’ll be a lot more interest once a dam is established,” he said. “The cost of building a whitewater park comes down substantially in that case, so ... there could be some type of investor come out of the woods.”
Several whitewater parks have been developed in the United States, including in Boulder, Colo. and Reno, Nev., which Gray cites among his favourites. The city of Calgary also incorporated a whitewater park when it redesigned its weir on the Bow River.
Peterson said the parks are significant tourist attractions and provide people with a myriad of recreational activity options, including kayaking, tubing, swimming and surfing.
“It’s done nothing but wonders for all different types of towns and cities in the States,” he said. “It’s just not in our mindset, being prairie people.”