Manchester Whitewater Park Grand Opening June 20 During “Let it Flow” Riverfest
WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 17, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Northeast Iowa is home to Iowa’s newest river attraction as the Manchester Whitewater Park opens June 20. The grand opening is from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will feature whitewater kayak and standup paddle board demonstrations as well as a ceremony at 11 a.m. on the riverfront. The celebration is part of the “Let it Flow” Riverfest, which kicks off Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a street fair featuring live music and food vendors from the area.
Construction began in September on the $1.8 million project. The new whitewater facility is funded in part by a $200,000 dam mitigation grant from the Iowa DNR and $600,000 in private donations. City and county governments raised the remaining $1 million.
The new river features will be attractive to kayakers, canoeists, rafters, tubers and standup paddleboard surfers, but planners wanted the area to appeal to other users as well.
“The Charles City project built in 2011 showed us that anglers and sightseers flocked to the area in even greater numbers than the in-river users,” said Nate Hoogeveen, river programs coordinator with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “For Manchester, that made the on-bank access doubly important to serve pedestrians, joggers and picnickers, as well as anglers.”
Whitewater structures create drops and pools providing excellent fish habitat in the summer and overwintering holes during the colder months, making these areas popular with anglers.
The project that arose from a brainstorming session in 2009 is expected to contribute an estimated $2 million in local economic activity through increased use and satisfaction from paddlers, anglers and outdoor recreationalists.
“A critical mass of these whitewater facilities—along with outfitters and campgrounds that have sprung up along rivers—is putting Iowa on the map as a destination for active professionals,” said Iowa tourism manager Shawna Lode.
For more information, email info (at) manchesterwhitewater (dot) com or visit manchesterwhitewater.com.
