I play boat, therefore, I am

[BFMR]

You guys love to talk about Haiku, Japanese stuff, don't you? If you are going to go kayaking in Japan, I will tell you some cities for paddling in Japan.
1. Tama river at Mitake, Tokyo : The biggest place for all kind of paddlers in Japan. The guy wears silver helmet with fire flame is a world class athlete both in slalom and freestyle. Class 3

2. Tone river at Minakami, Gunma : A few guys drown in the big cold water in May every year. The city is famouse as the best hot springs. Class 4-5 in May

3. Ida river at Yatsuo, Toyama : A kind of artificial course without concrete for slalom and freestyle. Wanna eat good sushi? Go to Toyama. There is also the other kind of sushi you haven't eaten in the US. Class 3-4

some kayak photos in Japan

[BFMR]

I'm just wondering when Kendo starts fixing the gates and wires? I can help you, Kendo.

[mvhyde]

Please...please...do not tear them down. I am personally spending a significant amount of time, effort and money to build 24 gates for Confluence, 18 of which will be placed on the course, the rest held as spares for replacing damaged ones.

The gates I am designing and building are entirely movable, both horizontally and vertically. That being said, if one is in your way, and no slalom practice or racing is occurring, then use the control lines to move it.

These gates will be slightly heavier than many of you are use to and they are being built within ICF/IOC specification tolerances.

Again, please don't tear them down once they are up.

[sj]

Mike let me know if you need help. Steve

[mvhyde]

We probably will need help in cabling all this up. I'm just the build-monkey, Chris Wiegand is the bossman....

[FRPA1]

Here is the deal.
The FRPA (Chris Wiegand-Director) and the City of Denver are finalizing a partnership for paddle sport. The intention is to offer ALL DISCIPLINES OF INSTRUCTION to ANYONE within the City. This partnership will entail events and other such initiatives that the FRPA hosts will end in a significant percentage of all revenue to return to Confluence Park Fund. This will be used for continual costs of maintaining the whole site to assist the City.

The following will be happening shortly once the final contract is signed. I have been sitting in meetings with the following groups to be sure that this partnership is truly healthy and in the best interest of ALL PARTIES
Denver Water
Denver Department of Health
Denver Parks and Recreation
Colorado State Department of Health
Coalition of Urban River Evaluation -South Platte Division

We will not only be a primary group (there will be a few) responsible for education for water quality and improvements. Commercials, Media Reports etc....

Teh City of Denver Parks and Rec, by the order of the Park and Rec Deputy, John Overstreet has assigned the liaison Leslie Roper to be our assistant and direct contact for the FRPA in this partnership. They will provide all the man power to place 6 14 foot high by 6"wide steel posts to be concreted in along the course. A 2" diameter cable will run the length of both sides. The FRPA and other volunteers will then place the cross wires (1/4" aircraft cable) from each boundary wire (approx 30 from top to bottom 14 Feet above the water level).
Thanks to Mike Hyde for volunteering in making these great gates on a pulley and wheel system.

The gates will only be in channel when a slalom or instruction group is on the water. At all other times, the gates will be elevated to max height (approx 6' above the water level), pulled to the center island and will not be anyones concern when you are on the water.

The only place for adjusting or moving the gates will be only from the island. No wires will cross the path as the structure poles will be at the drop jetties heading down the course.

We will have signage in place explaining the sport of canoe/kayak, including a breakdown of of all disciplines.

There will as part of a CYA for all organizations that use the site there will be a permanent sign that "educates" all people that (verbiage to be drawn by Denver Legal) everyone in the water should have a PFD and Head protection and hints to the varying levels of water bacteria based on water flow and ambient air temps.

The long term (next two years) - A group has been put together to help redevelop the entire 8th - 23rd areas of the Platte. New drops (adjustable), rebuilding and extension of Confluence to the bridge and the drops by 20th street rebuild with in stream obstacles. This is not a wet dream and is a vision that is actionable. I should have plans available on the web shortly for the confluence rough plan and basin plan drawn by McLaughlin Whitewater. A meeting to present this plan last Friday was done in front of City of Denver Officials, Denver Water and Dept of Health as well.

Confluence Kayaks, FRPA, City Wild, Shimoda Group, REI and the Greenway Foundation as well few others are the primary members of this stake holders group.

If anyone has a problem with the gates or structures, come to me!
If you do not know who I am, go see John and Don at Confluence or go into REI, they know how to contact me.

The vision of everyone in this stake holders group and the FRPA is inclusivity in paddle sport (yes rafts fit in this, thanks to City Wild).

We are one family, one huge f'd up family, but we are family.

It is OUR (family) responsibility to protect our amenities to protect it against vandals, trash and educating people if they ask.

I know we can all get along.

We as a stakeholders group can not do anything but share a dynamic vision and be sure it is acted upon. The community and the rest of our family will do our job to protect OUR venues.

Damn these long winded statements.

The gate structures are aimed at an install by April.

Stay tuned to Water Quality Awareness Education and how you can help.
It is our dream to rid of features Hep A,B and C at Confluence.

You will see many more updates by me as we continue building the vision.

Chris
720.205.9092
chris@whitewaterracing.org
http://www.whitewaterracing.org