Southfork Landing, Inc. and Cascade Raft & Kayak have formed a partnership to develop a unique whitewater course and adventure sport amenity at the Southfork Landing development located in Garden Valley, Idaho. The parties signed an agreement in which CRC & SFL, in design collaboration with Whitewater Parks International, would design, build and operate the world's first privately developed pond-to-pond whitewater park. WPI created the 2000 Sydney Olympic Whitewater course and is currently designing the Olympic whitewater course for the 2012 Olympics in London, England.
Tom Long, President of CRC said, “The Payette River Whitewater Park at Southfork Landing will not only be a premier whitewater experience for kayakers, but we are designing this park so that we can easily adjust the flow of water for people of all ages and abilities including boogie boards, inner tubes, inflatable kayaks, canoes, kayaks and small, recreational rafts. It is an amenity for the entire community and a signature Idaho whitewater venue. We are eager to develop an enhanced love of our natural river amenities among children, students, families and active adults in a safe, yet invigorating environment.”
SFL and CRC selected Whitewater Parks International, LLC to be their whitewater park design team because of their years of experience in designing and building Olympic whitewater venues and parks around the world.
“We are extremely excited for this opportunity to create what we believe is the world's first whitewater facility with the specific purpose of serving a residential community and expect it to be a tremendous addition to the current list of unique amenities offered to residents and guests at Southfork Landing. This whitewater park will be a highlight of the Southfork Landing planned community. The developers of Southfork Landing should receive substantial recognition for their progressive thinking and conservation-oriented approach in complementing the river community's existing amenities offered to residents and guests in this compelling manner,” stated Bob Campbell, Principal & Managing Director of Whitewater Parks International, LLC.
The park is called “The Payette River Whitewater Park at Southfork Landing” and will be located within the Southfork Landing development, alongside and without interfering with the natural stream flow of the South Fork of the Payette River in Garden Valley. The park is unique in its conservation-orientation, consistent with the development approach at Southfork Landing. The pond-to-pond flow will improve aeration and the life and health of the ponds and local trout and features pond-to-pond water flow over 200 linear feet with three (3) drops with concentrated moderate flows to create exciting whitewater features for the wide variety of enthusiasts spanning the range from inner tubes to kayaks. In addition, CRC plans to manage and operate a retail shop.
The whitewater park plan features a world-class whitewater course designed by WPI with obstacles, flows and currents to simulate river conditions and features. This activity could draw whitewater enthusiasts from all over the country. SFL will look to CRC to utilize their 25 plus years of experience in racing and training at artificial and man-enhanced courses all over the world to facilitate implementation of the whitewater attraction.
This type of whitewater course is an intentionally constructed channel with planned obstacles to create specific features within a park-like setting that offers easy access for users and spectators. Users can include boogie-boards, kayaks, canoes and inner tubes. Kayakers can use the features to learn and refine basic kayaking technique, practice freestyle maneuvers, or train for whitewater slalom competitions. The park is open to residents and guests of Southfork Landing and Cascade Raft and Kayak.
Southfork Landing is featuring a limited number of 1/3-acre meadow lots at the top of the whitewater course where homeowners can enjoy the natural beauty, river access and outdoor recreation right from the comfort of their own riverside decks. In addition to the Payette River Whitewater Park, the planned amenities of Southfork Landing include: 4 miles of protected river frontage on the South Fork of the Payette River, 40 acres of lakes and trout ponds, 2 miles of private catch-and-release trout streams and great access to miles of wilderness trails for Mountain Biking, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Nordic Skiing, Snowmobiling and ATVing, an acoustic outdoor Amphitheater, Swim and Racquet Club, Lodge and Conference Center, Restaurant and Winery, Equestrian Center and retail Fly Fishing offered by Idaho Angler.
This announcement reaffirms the third pillar of Idaho's economic growth as noted in last week's USA Today cover story, “The third ingredient in Idaho's boom has been the 'amenities business' — hiking, hunting, fishing, skiing, whitewater rafting — that attracts tourists and new residents, from billionaires to young outdoor enthusiasts.” Specifically in recent years, according to industry trade groups, there has been a significant increase in the outdoor recreation market for whitewater rafting, kayak instruction, and river running. Steve Laney, a Managing Partner for SFL said, “We are thrilled to be working with such a high-quality operator as the Cascade Raft team; we expect that there will be customers from Idaho, other states, and internationally, who recognize the significance of adding this amenity to our fabulous development.” Tom Long, President of CRC commented, “We have been exploring a number of alternatives for expanding our rafting and kayaking operations during the last year. Southfork Landing is a perfect location to use our decades of experience to develop a whitewater course. The combination of a world-class course and some of the best natural whitewater make a fantastic experience.”
