New river attractions planned
Mike Knopp, executive director of the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation, fielded questions from online participants in Friday's OKC Central chat.
This is an abridged transcript of that conversation.
For the complete transcript, or to participate in next week's chat, go to NewsOK.com
Q: It seems as if there is always something being added along the river. What's the latest in the works for the Oklahoma River?
A: As far as right now, we're in the midst of some small projects. We are very excited about how they add to the lifestyle experience along the river. One is the further build-out of our bike park. We are introducing new elements. You may notice a new paint job on the pump track. It's turning into another world-class feature for the boathouse district. We will be hosting the Red Bull Pump Track World Championship qualifier in two weeks. It's another way to drive exposure and interest to Oklahoma City.
We're building a dog park. It's going to be right next to the McClendon Whitewater Center. It will be unique. It will be free. It will have a restaurant right next to it. You can enjoy some food, have your dog out with you, enjoy a view of the river. We will have agility features— we will be calling this Boathouse Barks and Brews. That's coming very soon.
Another thing coming up is we are going to be enhancing our recreational channel in the white-water center to add additional surfing features and make it more accessible to new kayakers.
Q: Has there been any discussions to ever connect the canal and the river?
A:You can't connect the canal and the river because there is a significant elevation difference. The canal is essentially a closed system that is not river water, it is city water. However, we did make a stride by extending the river canal under I-40 so now it is adjacent to the Bricktown Canal and now we need to get people to take advantage of that. Chad Huntington, operator of the Bricktown Canal water taxis, has a new system allowing people on the water taxi to get on at the beginning or end, or to get off at either end. And we are talking about ways to use that to improve connectivity.
Q: Has sand volleyball courts near the river ever been considered by the foundation? That would be a great addition!
A:Yes, we have added one and it's free for people to use. It is a regulation-size volleyball court with the right kind of sand. It is next to the Devon Boathouse. That whole side of the building lights up at night, so there is a lot of ambient lighting as well.
Q: What's the update on the USS Oklahoma City being moved to the River?
A:We are excited about this opportunity for the river. They are currently looking for the most appropriate and accessible site. This will essentially be a full-sized replica of the USS Oklahoma City with the actual conning tower (sail). The whole submarine display will be more than 350 feet long, so it is sizable.
Q: Is there anything being done or can be done about water quality in the river? The place is amazing with amazing amenities but I think the water quality in the river distracts from the rest of the features.
A:The perception of the water quality is not necessarily the reality. The water quality of the Oklahoma River for an urban river is not bad and is tested on a weekly basis. The only times that the water quality has issues would be after a major rainfall event as is the case for every urban river.
One issue with perception is when people see trash in the river.
That is a public education issue, is that whenever people throw trash out in the city, it ends up in the river. The city deploys their great river maintenance crew to help mitigate this issue, which they are doing today in advance of the Central Youth Championship. One thing we can't control is the Oklahoma red dirt that does affect the color of the river, especially after a heavy rain.
Q: Mike, you delved a bit into the idea of adding more density and development along the river. I know several years ago we talked about the prospect of a Great Wolf Lodge style operation. It seems as if we are just really, really close to a time when I could envision housing and retail as well. What are your thoughts moving forward as to what is most likely to occur first — a hotel, housing, or restaurants and retail?
A:We have an outdoor lifestyle amenity that is unique in the world in that it is urban. It will be showcased to hundreds of outdoor retailers who will be coming to Oklahoma City for the new Paddleboard Sports Retailer show in August. We believe this is going to be a transforming event that will expose Oklahoma City to a new set of retailers and, moreover, brand Oklahoma City as a premier new outdoor destination.
There is a developing interest in new restaurant concepts and lifestyle amenities and I believe that will likely be among the first opportunities that we will consider. It's important to emphasize the Boathouse District is becoming an international destination as it is an amenity in Oklahoma City that is completely unique.
Last year we had every state in America represented at Riversport Rapids and 13 countries in terms of visitors. We want to continue to add attractions and events that further Oklahoma City as a tourist destination while at the same time improving the quality of life for Oklahoma City.