Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
NFL star Chris Spielman's wife loses cancer battle
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
Man allegedly paid teens to spit in his face
Retired firefighter who broke color barrier among those being honored
Indians add 7 players to 40-man roster
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
For your Saturday entertainment …
Akron Zips:
Two blowouts, one night
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Holmgren expresses interest in Browns position
Kent State Sports:
Singletary update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs at Indiana Pacers – Here’s to LBJ and Free Throws
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Bowling season starts today
All Da King's Men:
Headed For Disaster
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Federal Judge Declares DOMA Unconstitutional
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Colloquium at University of Akron
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Improving recreation along Cuyahoga is seen as good for downtown economy
By Rick Armon
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Saturday, Mar 29, 2008
KENT: City leaders are paddling forward with plans to build a whitewater park downtown and improve access to the Cuyahoga River for canoes and kayaks.
Kent is seeking a $1.5 million state grant to develop the Kent Cuyahoga Riveredge Park.
''The river is one of our greatest assets,'' city manager Dave Ruller said. ''We think it will be a catalyst to the economic revitalization for our downtown. On a lot of levels, it's a good fit with Kent's river heritage.''
The goal is to improve the ability for people to enjoy the river, which is in a gorge and runs through downtown. The project involves not only trying to develop a whitewater section for avid paddlers, but also making it easier for people to play and fish there.
The overall project area runs from the Crain Avenue Bridge to John Brown Tannery Park, and
also includes work at River Bend Park. It involves landscaping, new parking areas, a boat launch and installation of restrooms and a changing room.
The city also hopes to lure an enterpreneur to open a livery there, said John Idone, city parks and recreation director.
Wayne Caudill, who was walking along the river this week, said he had never really thought about the prospect of kayaking there.
But noting the racing water due to increased rain and melting snow, the 55-year-old Brady Lake resident said: ''It'd be a lot of fun going down through there.''
He also was happy that the city wants to open up the river more for people.
City leaders have been talking about the proposal for more than a year and hired Recreation Engineering and Planning, a design firm from Boulder, Colo., to see if the project was feasible and to offer recommendations.
''Everything we've heard back, whether it's from the community or local government, has been very positive,'' said David Hill of Cuyahoga Falls, a longtime proponent of the project and a volunteer with the group American Whitewater. ''The exciting thing is it's not just looking at it from a kayaker's standpoint. They want to design a park that is going to allow amultitude of users down there.''
The city is applying for the grant through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and should hear in late August whether the project will be funded.
The state has $3.6 million available for such boating projects, but receives requests totaling $13 million to $16 million each year. Typically, eight to 12 projects are funded.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com.
KENT: City leaders are paddling forward with plans to build a whitewater park downtown and improve access to the Cuyahoga River for canoes and kayaks.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
