News '06
How To Spend $278 Million
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Apparently Kentucky is loaded. On Thursday, November 2, 2006 Governor Ernie Fletcher announced that General Fund revenue for the current fiscal year is coming in higher than originally projected and is expected to exceed budgeted levels at the end of the fiscal year.
The current estimate anticipates an extra $279 million. So, how should we spend it? I know how I would spend it.
Take The Survey
The last day to participate in the survey is January 25, 2006
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Reno Whitewater Park Webcam
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Grants Being Sought by City for Whitewater, Trails
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
From the Friday, December 15, 2006 Kentucky Standard
By Bob White
Bardstown will send a representative to Elizabethtown Thursday to learn more about grants to aid the Beech Fork whitewater park project and trail projects being considered for implementation.
During Tuesday's Bardstown City Council meeting City Administrator Larry Green informed city leaders of two federal grants being offered through the Governor's Office of Local Development.
The funds being offered could be used to improve the riverbank of Beech Fork at the old rock dam near U.U. 31E bridge where a whitewater feature has been proposed.
"It won't help with the rebuilding of the dam, but it may be useful in building a trail to the river," Green said.
Green said funding could also be used for a connector trail between Beech Fork and Bardstown Community Park.
More information about the Land and Water Conservation Funds and the Recreational Trails grants will be learned during a Thursday meeting at the Lincoln Trail Area Development District office in Elizabethtown, Green said.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund offers 50-50 matching grants of $5,000 to $50,000. The average amount awarded to applicant communities in Kentucky last year was $39,951, according to Samantha Cool, Public Information Officer for the Governor's Office of Local Development.Read More...
By Bob White
Bardstown will send a representative to Elizabethtown Thursday to learn more about grants to aid the Beech Fork whitewater park project and trail projects being considered for implementation.
During Tuesday's Bardstown City Council meeting City Administrator Larry Green informed city leaders of two federal grants being offered through the Governor's Office of Local Development.
The funds being offered could be used to improve the riverbank of Beech Fork at the old rock dam near U.U. 31E bridge where a whitewater feature has been proposed.
"It won't help with the rebuilding of the dam, but it may be useful in building a trail to the river," Green said.
Green said funding could also be used for a connector trail between Beech Fork and Bardstown Community Park.
More information about the Land and Water Conservation Funds and the Recreational Trails grants will be learned during a Thursday meeting at the Lincoln Trail Area Development District office in Elizabethtown, Green said.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund offers 50-50 matching grants of $5,000 to $50,000. The average amount awarded to applicant communities in Kentucky last year was $39,951, according to Samantha Cool, Public Information Officer for the Governor's Office of Local Development.Read More...
Possible Grant Money for WW Park
Friday, December 15, 2006
Some information has surfaced on one of two grants
that have been discovered by Assistant City
Administrator, Larry Green, which could be applied to
the Bardstown Whitewater
Park.Read
More...
Good Luck, Bob
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Bardstown's most outspoken proponent for outdoor
recreational and environmental causes is moving on to
a sister newspaper in Elizabethtown. Bob White has
covered the Bardstown Boaters greatest
accomplishments over the past 2 years in our local
press, and in doing so has helped us grow our efforts
more than we ever could have imagined.Read
More...
National River Cleanup Week 2007
Friday, December 08, 2006
The Bardstown Boaters Annual Paddle Pickup will be
held on June 9th, 2007.Read
More...
An Inconvenient Truth
Thursday, December 07, 2006
On Tuesday I attended a taping of The Oprah Winfrey
Show where she had Al Gore as her guest. He was
presenting information from his documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Now I
don't know how much stock I take into this film
and the way it portrays the Earth's climactic
demise, but I do certainly believe we as human
being need to reduce our carbon dioxide
output.Read
More...
Year In Review
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Now in the final days of the 2006th year following
the first Christmas I look back at the last 350+ days
and remember the exciting, adventurous, and communal
times spent on and around the waterways of the
southern US. I recollect the joys of planning the
logistics of a trip; the initial idea of when and
where to go, who to bring along, what to pack, where
to stay, how to get there, and what to
expect.Read More...
Rio Grande in 2007
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
The little-known stretch of the Rio Grande just
downriver from Big Bend National Park in southwest
Texas, showcases the riverine glories of the desert
Southwest: twisting slot canyons, fortresslike
bluffs, hot springs, and sporty rapids. Better still,
expeditioners here can often paddle for a week to ten
days without encountering another party. For more
info visit National Geographic.Read More...
The Way of the Whitewater Park
Friday, November 17, 2006
From Paddler Magazine May/June 2005
Human beings are tinkerers. When something doesn’t fit our needs, it’s our nature to change it.
Whitewater paddlers are no different. And whitewater—in the form of man-made whitewater parks—is springing up in towns and cities across the nation, creating a new wave of whitewater enthusiasm in the most unlikely of places: downtown. People who would otherwise never be exposed to whitewater now find it right in their front yard.Read More...
Human beings are tinkerers. When something doesn’t fit our needs, it’s our nature to change it.
Whitewater paddlers are no different. And whitewater—in the form of man-made whitewater parks—is springing up in towns and cities across the nation, creating a new wave of whitewater enthusiasm in the most unlikely of places: downtown. People who would otherwise never be exposed to whitewater now find it right in their front yard.Read More...
Dayton WW Park Idea May Return
Thursday, November 16, 2006
The disappointment in the paddling community was
thick last week when a study found the proposed
white-water park on the Great Miami River was too
expensive.
The Miami Conservancy District and Five Rivers MetroParks wanted to build a white-water play facility that would also give less experienced paddlers a safe way to get around the low dam near the Monument Avenue bridge.
But the study found the park cost would total close to $10 million. That was too much, the agencies decided, and the proposal has been scrapped.Read More...
The Miami Conservancy District and Five Rivers MetroParks wanted to build a white-water play facility that would also give less experienced paddlers a safe way to get around the low dam near the Monument Avenue bridge.
But the study found the park cost would total close to $10 million. That was too much, the agencies decided, and the proposal has been scrapped.Read More...
Recounting Mount Taranaki
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Back in March of 2004 I spent some time in New
Zealand. Our recent Red River Gorge hike got me
thinking about some of my New Zealand adventures.
Climbing Mt. Taranaki was one of them.Read
More...
Alternative Sports Groups Continue
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Bardstown Boaters, a group of local whitewater
enthusiasts, first proposed the project and have
since compiled a preliminary informational package
for local officials to review.Read
More...
Bardstown Election Results
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Bardstown Mayor
• Dick Heaton - 1,528 Votes - 55%
Dixie Hibbs - 1,130 Votes - 40%
Steven Wimsatt - 152 Votes - 5%Read More...
• Dick Heaton - 1,528 Votes - 55%
Dixie Hibbs - 1,130 Votes - 40%
Steven Wimsatt - 152 Votes - 5%Read More...
The Nelson County Gazette
Thursday, November 02, 2006
I just ran across a very interesting website that I
had not known existed. The Nelson County Gazette, an
enhanced weblog that examines news, politics and life
in and around Nelson County.Read
More...
The ASCI Looks Very Interesting
Thursday, October 26, 2006
This whitewater park is set to open the Spring of
2007 on the summit of Marsh Mountain in McHenry, Maryland. McHenry is 3
hours from the Washington, DC area, 2 hours from
Pittsburgh, and within a 3 hour drive for over
26 million people.Read
More...
Paddlers to Race Kentucky Gorge
Monday, October 23, 2006
SAMIRA JAFARI - Associated Press
ELKHORN CITY, Ky. - Gerald DeLong has paddled whitewater rapids across the country for nearly 30 years, but it's an eastern Kentucky river that courses through his veins.
Like the thousands of others who have kayaked, canoed and rafted their way down the Russell Fork River, a 15-mile stretch of water from Virginia to Kentucky, DeLong finds its rocky twists, turns and treacherous gorge irresistible.Read More...
ELKHORN CITY, Ky. - Gerald DeLong has paddled whitewater rapids across the country for nearly 30 years, but it's an eastern Kentucky river that courses through his veins.
Like the thousands of others who have kayaked, canoed and rafted their way down the Russell Fork River, a 15-mile stretch of water from Virginia to Kentucky, DeLong finds its rocky twists, turns and treacherous gorge irresistible.Read More...
Capsized Canoeists Rescued from Salt
Thursday, October 19, 2006
What started out as a pleasant trip down the Salt
River ended abruptly last Tuesday when several canoes
tipped over spilling three adults and five children
into the cold rushing water.Read
More...
Support the Bardstown WW Park
Friday, October 06, 2006
Please visit a new section of the Bardstown Boaters website and write a few words on why you would like to see a whitewater park built in bardstown. We need to gather up as much local support for the park we can and we can now document that support right here: CLICK HERE
Please give this link to family and friends or anyone you know who wants to support bringing this unique opportunity to Bardstown.
To learn more about the whitewater park idea, click here.
Whitewater Park Interests Crest
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Enthusiasm seems to be building for a whitewater park
on the Beech Fork in Bardstown.
Fundraising efforts are underway to pay for a visit and analysis by a whitewater park engineer, who will address issues such as water flow and structural feasibility.Read More...
Fundraising efforts are underway to pay for a visit and analysis by a whitewater park engineer, who will address issues such as water flow and structural feasibility.Read More...
GJ grants $100K to WW park
Friday, September 29, 2006
By MIKE WIGGINS
The Daily Sentinel: Thursday, September 21, 2006
The Grand Junction City Council unanimously agreed Wednesday night to pitch $100,000 into an effort to build a whitewater park on the Colorado River near Palisade.Read More...
The Daily Sentinel: Thursday, September 21, 2006
The Grand Junction City Council unanimously agreed Wednesday night to pitch $100,000 into an effort to build a whitewater park on the Colorado River near Palisade.Read More...
Paddlers’ Poker Run Planned for Saturday
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Paddlers’ Poker Run planned for Saturday
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 8:21 AM EDT
BOB WHITE The Kentucky Standard
Funds being raised for whitewater park
Poker runs aren’t just for motorcyclists anymore.
Hoping to fund an engineer’s visit to Beech Fork and a design incorporating a whitewater feature into the rock dam near the New Haven Road bridge, Bardstown Boaters are hosting a paddlers’ poker run Saturday in which participants could win up to $500.
The local paddling club has been the main proponent of a push to convert a stone dam that cannot be safely navigated by canoes and kayaks into a safe chute and play wave for boaters to use.
Following a formal presentation of the concept to Bardstown City Council and some preliminary “homework” done on part of city officials, Assistant City Administrator Larry Green said the next step would be to draft a plan and design for the project.
For that, Bardstown Boaters president Spalding Hurst said an experienced whitewater park engineer would need to visit the site and compile a preliminary plan and cost estimate.
The cost of such a visit is expected to be $6,000-$7,000, depending on the engineering firm chosen.
Cost of constructing whitewater parks throughout the nation have ranged from $140,000 for a park along a stream in Colorado to $25 million for a park not on a river in North Carolina.
Hurst didn’t want to speculate the cost of creating a single wave and navigable chute at the Beech Fork dam. He said he would rely on the engineer to talk numbers to the public.
Green said he has identified a federal grant that could help fund the whitewater park. Additional funding may be available through the state if the city decides to increase the height of the dam to increase its raw water collection pool.
Before seeking grants for the project, Green said some engineering work should be done so a plan could be presented to state and federal stakeholders such as the Division of Water, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
The poker run is an attempt to fund the next step in the process of planning the whitewater park.
The fundraiser will begin noon Saturday at the KY 49 bridge across Beech Fork and will conclude about 5 p.m. at the New Haven Road (U.S. 31E) bridge.
Plans are to have paddlers collect five playing cards at locations along the river. Three of the cards received will be handed to participants by Bardstown Boaters stationed in boats along the route. The best hand at the end of the day wins half the pot collected, or a maximum of $500.
The cost of entering the poker run is $20. Participants are responsible for providing their own boats, canoes, kayaks or other watercraft. Horizon Hoppers Adventure Services will provide canoes and kayaks free of charge to anyone who does not own a boat and wants to participate in the event.
“I wanted to show I give this project my full support,” said Mike Hammons, owner of the Bardstown-based outfitter.
Hammons said no less than a dozen boats would be available at the start of the poker run on a first come, first serve basis.
The event is open to paddlers of all skill levels and food and drinks will be available for purchase at the beginning and end of the poker run.
Hurst said he expects about 50 people to attend, but hopes for more.
For more information on the poker run or the Bardstown Whitewater Park log on to the Bardstown Boater Web site at www.bardstownboaters.com. The club is also taking contributions online for the whitewater park.
Bob White can be reached at 348-9003 Ext. 116 or by e-mail at bwhite@kystandard.com.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 8:21 AM EDT
BOB WHITE The Kentucky Standard
Funds being raised for whitewater park
Poker runs aren’t just for motorcyclists anymore.
Hoping to fund an engineer’s visit to Beech Fork and a design incorporating a whitewater feature into the rock dam near the New Haven Road bridge, Bardstown Boaters are hosting a paddlers’ poker run Saturday in which participants could win up to $500.
The local paddling club has been the main proponent of a push to convert a stone dam that cannot be safely navigated by canoes and kayaks into a safe chute and play wave for boaters to use.
Following a formal presentation of the concept to Bardstown City Council and some preliminary “homework” done on part of city officials, Assistant City Administrator Larry Green said the next step would be to draft a plan and design for the project.
For that, Bardstown Boaters president Spalding Hurst said an experienced whitewater park engineer would need to visit the site and compile a preliminary plan and cost estimate.
The cost of such a visit is expected to be $6,000-$7,000, depending on the engineering firm chosen.
Cost of constructing whitewater parks throughout the nation have ranged from $140,000 for a park along a stream in Colorado to $25 million for a park not on a river in North Carolina.
Hurst didn’t want to speculate the cost of creating a single wave and navigable chute at the Beech Fork dam. He said he would rely on the engineer to talk numbers to the public.
Green said he has identified a federal grant that could help fund the whitewater park. Additional funding may be available through the state if the city decides to increase the height of the dam to increase its raw water collection pool.
Before seeking grants for the project, Green said some engineering work should be done so a plan could be presented to state and federal stakeholders such as the Division of Water, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
The poker run is an attempt to fund the next step in the process of planning the whitewater park.
The fundraiser will begin noon Saturday at the KY 49 bridge across Beech Fork and will conclude about 5 p.m. at the New Haven Road (U.S. 31E) bridge.
Plans are to have paddlers collect five playing cards at locations along the river. Three of the cards received will be handed to participants by Bardstown Boaters stationed in boats along the route. The best hand at the end of the day wins half the pot collected, or a maximum of $500.
The cost of entering the poker run is $20. Participants are responsible for providing their own boats, canoes, kayaks or other watercraft. Horizon Hoppers Adventure Services will provide canoes and kayaks free of charge to anyone who does not own a boat and wants to participate in the event.
“I wanted to show I give this project my full support,” said Mike Hammons, owner of the Bardstown-based outfitter.
Hammons said no less than a dozen boats would be available at the start of the poker run on a first come, first serve basis.
The event is open to paddlers of all skill levels and food and drinks will be available for purchase at the beginning and end of the poker run.
Hurst said he expects about 50 people to attend, but hopes for more.
For more information on the poker run or the Bardstown Whitewater Park log on to the Bardstown Boater Web site at www.bardstownboaters.com. The club is also taking contributions online for the whitewater park.
Bob White can be reached at 348-9003 Ext. 116 or by e-mail at bwhite@kystandard.com.
Poker Run Fundraiser
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Fundraiser for the Bardstown Whitewater
Park...Read
More...
Whitewater Park a Needed Attraction
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
The Kentucky Standard
Wednesday, September 20, 2006 9:02 AM EDT
Our Views/Editorials
Work toward reconfiguring a rock dam into a safely navigable whitewater feature along Beech Fork River is moving fast and smooth thanks to the impressive efforts of the Bardstown Boaters paddling club.
The editorial board at The Kentucky Standard supports the group’s effort to add this new recreational feature to the county and we wish them well in their endeavor.
While the park is not planned to be a behemoth $25 million facility similar to what opened in Charlotte, N.C. earlier this year, the proposed Bardstown Whitewater Park would be an asset to sportsmen and youth of our community along with the economy as businesses look to support paddlers and their fans.
The park could be the light at the end of the tunnel for struggling business owners such as canoe outfitter Mike Hammons of Horizon Hoppers Adventure Services who has spent the past five years trying to rent kayaks to outdoor adventure seekers from his shop at the Bardstown-Nelson County Airport.
It could also be a boost for existing businesses such as Keene’s Depot which has already established itself as Bardstown’s sporting supplies store.
Most importantly, the proposed park would provide a good, clean, fun activity for people to enjoy, whether cartwheeling and splashing around on the wave themselves or spectating from the riverbank.
To take an eyesore rock dam that’s not safely navigable for boaters and turn it into a destination will open the river to all sorts of recreational opportunities for many generations to come.
Fishing, wading, tubing and picnicking will follow the kayaking.
We, at The Standard, hope the community, city government and state and federal officials jump on board with the boaters in pursuit of the Bardstown Whitewater Park.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006 9:02 AM EDT
Our Views/Editorials
Work toward reconfiguring a rock dam into a safely navigable whitewater feature along Beech Fork River is moving fast and smooth thanks to the impressive efforts of the Bardstown Boaters paddling club.
The editorial board at The Kentucky Standard supports the group’s effort to add this new recreational feature to the county and we wish them well in their endeavor.
While the park is not planned to be a behemoth $25 million facility similar to what opened in Charlotte, N.C. earlier this year, the proposed Bardstown Whitewater Park would be an asset to sportsmen and youth of our community along with the economy as businesses look to support paddlers and their fans.
The park could be the light at the end of the tunnel for struggling business owners such as canoe outfitter Mike Hammons of Horizon Hoppers Adventure Services who has spent the past five years trying to rent kayaks to outdoor adventure seekers from his shop at the Bardstown-Nelson County Airport.
It could also be a boost for existing businesses such as Keene’s Depot which has already established itself as Bardstown’s sporting supplies store.
Most importantly, the proposed park would provide a good, clean, fun activity for people to enjoy, whether cartwheeling and splashing around on the wave themselves or spectating from the riverbank.
To take an eyesore rock dam that’s not safely navigable for boaters and turn it into a destination will open the river to all sorts of recreational opportunities for many generations to come.
Fishing, wading, tubing and picnicking will follow the kayaking.
We, at The Standard, hope the community, city government and state and federal officials jump on board with the boaters in pursuit of the Bardstown Whitewater Park.
No Hurdles Seen Yet for Proposed Whitewater Project on Beech Fork River
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006 8:59 AM EDT
BOB WHITE The Kentucky Standard
Fundraiser set for Sept. 30.
No great hurdles seen so far.
That’s what Bardstown Assistant City Administrator Larry Green told City Council following inquiries made with state and federal agencies about a proposed whitewater park for Bardstown.
Interest in the concept of reconstructing an old rock dam on Beech Fork for recreational purposes has grown since the idea was first announced a few months ago by members of Bardstown Boaters, a local paddling club.
Following a formal presentation of the group’s plan to construct a whitewater feature at the dam lying immediately west of the New Haven Road bridge across Beech Fork, Green said he began doing some “homework” by checking with agencies dealing with water and dams and looking for possible sources of funding.
“The talks were encouraging,” Green said of discussions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “They said it’s not their dam and said it would be no big deal so long as (the whitewater feature) wasn’t causing erosion.”
Kentucky’s Division of Water expressed interest in the project, but Green said “no red flags” had been raised following talks with those officials.
While doing his homework, Green discovered Land and Water Conservation Fund grants available for recreational projects such as the proposed parks. Bloomfield was denied a $50,000 grant request from the federal fund earlier this year to help renovate its park system. The fund generally allocates about $400,000 annually to Kentucky cities for recreational projects in matching grants of $5,000 - $15,000.
The maximum allowable amount of Land and Water Conservation grants is $75,000, Green said.
With the possibility of obtaining additional funding for use in raising the dam for an increased raw water pool, Green said he was encouraged about the whitewater park idea.
No one at the city level has spoke against the whitewater project and few questions have arose relating to it since proponents provided the city with what many have considered an impressive amount of information.
“There’s no questioning the amount of legwork (proponents) have put into this,” Councilman Bobby Simpson said.
During the discussion phase, questions have risen relating to increased traffic associated with the proposed park along U.S. 31E.
Councilman John Royalty said the city needed to determine if the whitewater feature would increase traffic near the bridge and address those concerns with the state highway department early.
City Financial Officer Mike Abell doubted any traffic concerns to come as a result of the proposed park.
“I’ve seen four or five of these and it’s usually groups of four or five boaters that use them at any given time,” Abell said.
It is unclear if a single whitewater feature along the river would increase auto traffic in the area, but proponents aren’t discouraged with such concerns.
“I’m just glad the discussions continue and that people are beginning to research the idea for themselves,” Spalding Hurst, president of Bardstown Boaters, said.
Hurst said on Thursday that a special feature was added to the club’s Web site for people to comment on the park.
The feedback page, found at www.bardstownboaters.com, will enable proponents to keep track of concerns and log public opinion and support for the proposal.
Green said the next step necessary in the park project was to compile a plan and design for the park to submit to state and federal agencies for review.
Bardstown Boaters isn’t waiting for local government to hire an engineer.
In an attempt to raise funds for a preliminary whitewater park engineer’s visit, estimated at $7,000, the group is hosting a fundraiser Sept. 30 along the Beech Fork.
The paddling poker run is a 7-mile event in which paddlers contribute $20 to the pot, collect cards along the route and play the best poker hand in an attempt to win half the purse.
Hurst said he hopes with fundraisers such as the poker run, enough money can be raised to soon have an experienced whitewater park engineer visit Bardstown.
Hurst said preliminary talks with engineers have been encouraging.
“They said we couldn’t have a better site,” he said.
Information on the poker run can be found at the Bardstown Boater Web site.
Bob White can be reached at 348-9003 Ext. 116 or by e-mail at bwhite@kystandard.com.
BOB WHITE The Kentucky Standard
Fundraiser set for Sept. 30.
No great hurdles seen so far.
That’s what Bardstown Assistant City Administrator Larry Green told City Council following inquiries made with state and federal agencies about a proposed whitewater park for Bardstown.
Interest in the concept of reconstructing an old rock dam on Beech Fork for recreational purposes has grown since the idea was first announced a few months ago by members of Bardstown Boaters, a local paddling club.
Following a formal presentation of the group’s plan to construct a whitewater feature at the dam lying immediately west of the New Haven Road bridge across Beech Fork, Green said he began doing some “homework” by checking with agencies dealing with water and dams and looking for possible sources of funding.
“The talks were encouraging,” Green said of discussions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “They said it’s not their dam and said it would be no big deal so long as (the whitewater feature) wasn’t causing erosion.”
Kentucky’s Division of Water expressed interest in the project, but Green said “no red flags” had been raised following talks with those officials.
While doing his homework, Green discovered Land and Water Conservation Fund grants available for recreational projects such as the proposed parks. Bloomfield was denied a $50,000 grant request from the federal fund earlier this year to help renovate its park system. The fund generally allocates about $400,000 annually to Kentucky cities for recreational projects in matching grants of $5,000 - $15,000.
The maximum allowable amount of Land and Water Conservation grants is $75,000, Green said.
With the possibility of obtaining additional funding for use in raising the dam for an increased raw water pool, Green said he was encouraged about the whitewater park idea.
No one at the city level has spoke against the whitewater project and few questions have arose relating to it since proponents provided the city with what many have considered an impressive amount of information.
“There’s no questioning the amount of legwork (proponents) have put into this,” Councilman Bobby Simpson said.
During the discussion phase, questions have risen relating to increased traffic associated with the proposed park along U.S. 31E.
Councilman John Royalty said the city needed to determine if the whitewater feature would increase traffic near the bridge and address those concerns with the state highway department early.
City Financial Officer Mike Abell doubted any traffic concerns to come as a result of the proposed park.
“I’ve seen four or five of these and it’s usually groups of four or five boaters that use them at any given time,” Abell said.
It is unclear if a single whitewater feature along the river would increase auto traffic in the area, but proponents aren’t discouraged with such concerns.
“I’m just glad the discussions continue and that people are beginning to research the idea for themselves,” Spalding Hurst, president of Bardstown Boaters, said.
Hurst said on Thursday that a special feature was added to the club’s Web site for people to comment on the park.
The feedback page, found at www.bardstownboaters.com, will enable proponents to keep track of concerns and log public opinion and support for the proposal.
Green said the next step necessary in the park project was to compile a plan and design for the park to submit to state and federal agencies for review.
Bardstown Boaters isn’t waiting for local government to hire an engineer.
In an attempt to raise funds for a preliminary whitewater park engineer’s visit, estimated at $7,000, the group is hosting a fundraiser Sept. 30 along the Beech Fork.
The paddling poker run is a 7-mile event in which paddlers contribute $20 to the pot, collect cards along the route and play the best poker hand in an attempt to win half the purse.
Hurst said he hopes with fundraisers such as the poker run, enough money can be raised to soon have an experienced whitewater park engineer visit Bardstown.
Hurst said preliminary talks with engineers have been encouraging.
“They said we couldn’t have a better site,” he said.
Information on the poker run can be found at the Bardstown Boater Web site.
Bob White can be reached at 348-9003 Ext. 116 or by e-mail at bwhite@kystandard.com.
Group Plans Fundraiser for Engineer Visit
Friday, September 08, 2006
Friday, September 8, 2006 8:26 AM EDT
BOB WHITE The Kentucky Standard
While questions arose over parking and possible trashing of the river, an overwhelming amount of support was apparent for the construction of a whitewater park at Beech Fork during a meeting of Bardstown City Council Tuesday night.
About 20 people in support of a proposal to reconstruct a rock dam near the New Haven Road bridge over Beech Fork into a navigable whitewater feature showed up for a formal presentation to City Council Tuesday.
The effort is being spearheaded by members of Bardstown Boaters, a group of paddling enthusiasts based in Bardstown.
With some discussion already having taken place on the possible raising of the rock dam to increase raw water supply for the city’s water treatment operations, Mayor Dixie Hibbs and proponents of the whitewater park feel it’s possible to incorporate the water feature into the dam-raising project.
Hibbs said she would consult water plant officials on specifics relating to the volumes of water for plant operations, but noted a need for increased supply in the near future.
“We’re pumping about 50-percent of our water from the Beech Fork,” Hibbs said.
The river has the potential to supply ample amounts of water if dammed correctly, since the river drains about 600 square miles of upstream watershed, she said.
Hibbs voiced her support for the proposal and practicality of the dam’s reconstruction.
“If we were to increase the dam one or two feet, then this redesign could be done for the safety of boating, accomplishing two things - recreation and an increase of water supply,” Hibbs said.
Improving the safety of the river was a key point of the project, according to Bardstown-Nelson County Tourist and Convention Commission vice-president Dawn Ballard.
The dam cannot be navigated safely as is.
“This is something that takes a potential hazard and makes it safe,” Ballard said. “People don’t use (the river) as much as they could.”
The plan, as submitted to City Council by Bardstown Boaters president Spalding Hurst, consists of the construction of a single whitewater feature and two chutes navigable by canoes and kayaks.
“It’s just a single rapid that’s safely navigable,” Hurst said. “The put in and take out would be at the same spot.”
“Play-boaters” could park at the river and practice whitewater paddling techniques at the site, he added.
Two engineering firms experienced in whitewater park construction have expressed an interest in working on the park in Bardstown.
“They described this site as a perfect setup,” Hurst said of engineers’ opinion of the Beech Fork.
Hiring an engineer to visit the site, compile a preliminary plan and estimate is expected to cost about $6,700.
Ballard said various sources of funding were available for the whitewater park’s construction, but thought the project should proceed in steps.
“First we were looking for any huge grievances with the idea,” Ballard said.
While no one at the meeting spoke against the project, one woman questioned if the park could contribute to traffic along the New Haven Road bridge.
Hibbs said it was too early to determine traffic counts for such a park, but said if traffic developed as a result of the park, a traffic light may be necessary for the area.
Hibbs said another person questioned her on the potential of trash accumulating at the river as a result of a whitewater park.
During the meeting, Hibbs made note of the Bardstown Boaters’ efforts in cleaning Beech Fork with the group’s annual Paddle Pickup.
The group completed its second river cleanup this year, removing tons of debris from Nelson County stream banks.
Hurst said during a telephone interview Thursday he appreciated all the comments and questions relating to the park.
“I want people to see that this is a viable option,” Hurst said. “It could be good for tourism and recreation.”
Emphasis of the park’s location has been on the northeast quadrant of the bridge’s crossing of the river. The property is owned by the city.
Without a visit from an engineer experienced in whitewater park construction, Hurst said it was difficult to estimate a cost of the dam’s reconstruction into a whitewater feature.
Bardstown Boaters have begun whitewater park fundraising efforts with a paddling poker run on Beech Fork scheduled for Sept. 30.
Hurst said funds from the poker run would be used to hire an engineer to visit Bardstown and compile draft plans for the park.
“My hope is for us to raise $2,000, tourism to contribute $2,000 and the city to contribute $2,000,” Hurst said, regarding the funding of an engineer’s visit.
More information about the fundraiser can be found at www.bardstownboaters.com.
The report on the whitewater park compiled by Bardstown Boaters can be viewed at the group’s Web site.
Bob White can be reached at 348-9003 Ext. 116 or by e-mail at bwhite@kystandard.com.
BOB WHITE The Kentucky Standard
While questions arose over parking and possible trashing of the river, an overwhelming amount of support was apparent for the construction of a whitewater park at Beech Fork during a meeting of Bardstown City Council Tuesday night.
About 20 people in support of a proposal to reconstruct a rock dam near the New Haven Road bridge over Beech Fork into a navigable whitewater feature showed up for a formal presentation to City Council Tuesday.
The effort is being spearheaded by members of Bardstown Boaters, a group of paddling enthusiasts based in Bardstown.
With some discussion already having taken place on the possible raising of the rock dam to increase raw water supply for the city’s water treatment operations, Mayor Dixie Hibbs and proponents of the whitewater park feel it’s possible to incorporate the water feature into the dam-raising project.
Hibbs said she would consult water plant officials on specifics relating to the volumes of water for plant operations, but noted a need for increased supply in the near future.
“We’re pumping about 50-percent of our water from the Beech Fork,” Hibbs said.
The river has the potential to supply ample amounts of water if dammed correctly, since the river drains about 600 square miles of upstream watershed, she said.
Hibbs voiced her support for the proposal and practicality of the dam’s reconstruction.
“If we were to increase the dam one or two feet, then this redesign could be done for the safety of boating, accomplishing two things - recreation and an increase of water supply,” Hibbs said.
Improving the safety of the river was a key point of the project, according to Bardstown-Nelson County Tourist and Convention Commission vice-president Dawn Ballard.
The dam cannot be navigated safely as is.
“This is something that takes a potential hazard and makes it safe,” Ballard said. “People don’t use (the river) as much as they could.”
The plan, as submitted to City Council by Bardstown Boaters president Spalding Hurst, consists of the construction of a single whitewater feature and two chutes navigable by canoes and kayaks.
“It’s just a single rapid that’s safely navigable,” Hurst said. “The put in and take out would be at the same spot.”
“Play-boaters” could park at the river and practice whitewater paddling techniques at the site, he added.
Two engineering firms experienced in whitewater park construction have expressed an interest in working on the park in Bardstown.
“They described this site as a perfect setup,” Hurst said of engineers’ opinion of the Beech Fork.
Hiring an engineer to visit the site, compile a preliminary plan and estimate is expected to cost about $6,700.
Ballard said various sources of funding were available for the whitewater park’s construction, but thought the project should proceed in steps.
“First we were looking for any huge grievances with the idea,” Ballard said.
While no one at the meeting spoke against the project, one woman questioned if the park could contribute to traffic along the New Haven Road bridge.
Hibbs said it was too early to determine traffic counts for such a park, but said if traffic developed as a result of the park, a traffic light may be necessary for the area.
Hibbs said another person questioned her on the potential of trash accumulating at the river as a result of a whitewater park.
During the meeting, Hibbs made note of the Bardstown Boaters’ efforts in cleaning Beech Fork with the group’s annual Paddle Pickup.
The group completed its second river cleanup this year, removing tons of debris from Nelson County stream banks.
Hurst said during a telephone interview Thursday he appreciated all the comments and questions relating to the park.
“I want people to see that this is a viable option,” Hurst said. “It could be good for tourism and recreation.”
Emphasis of the park’s location has been on the northeast quadrant of the bridge’s crossing of the river. The property is owned by the city.
Without a visit from an engineer experienced in whitewater park construction, Hurst said it was difficult to estimate a cost of the dam’s reconstruction into a whitewater feature.
Bardstown Boaters have begun whitewater park fundraising efforts with a paddling poker run on Beech Fork scheduled for Sept. 30.
Hurst said funds from the poker run would be used to hire an engineer to visit Bardstown and compile draft plans for the park.
“My hope is for us to raise $2,000, tourism to contribute $2,000 and the city to contribute $2,000,” Hurst said, regarding the funding of an engineer’s visit.
More information about the fundraiser can be found at www.bardstownboaters.com.
The report on the whitewater park compiled by Bardstown Boaters can be viewed at the group’s Web site.
Bob White can be reached at 348-9003 Ext. 116 or by e-mail at bwhite@kystandard.com.
American Whitewater: Rockcastle
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Group Wants To Add Whitewater to Beech Fork
Friday, June 23, 2006
BOB WHITE/The Kentucky Standard - While some people
have successfully navigated the rock dam at Beech
Fork during high water levels, most paddlers consider
the rock dam dangerous to go over and difficult to
portage around. A group of whitewater enthusiasts are
considering a renovation of the rock dam to include
safe and navigable whitewater features.
Paddlers, tourism officials and outfitter consider possibilitiesRead More...
Paddlers, tourism officials and outfitter consider possibilitiesRead More...
Bardstown WW Park Report
Thursday, June 08, 2006
A whitewater park in Bardstown can add great value to
the community, a boost to the local economy, create
an atmosphere for healthy lifestyles and awareness to
environmental issues.Read
More...
My New Kayak: A Bliss-Stick Flip-Stick
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Refreshing, New Ideas Come From Sports Meeting
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Refreshing, new ideas come from sports meeting
Bob White THE KENTUCKY STANDARD - 5/24/06
Like most Americans, I’ve had my fair share of the so-called normal sports.
I played basketball, football, and baseball as a kid. I also ran track and cross country in my younger years. Most of my involvement in those activities these days includes a television.
While these sports are great for fans and players alike, the constant sight and sound of these sports can make all of them a bit mundane.
Luckily for us in Nelson County, there could be some refreshing opportunities on the horizon.
A handful of local folks met last week to discuss different sporting opportunities with tourism officials and coach Steve Small, a motivating, people-person type of guy from Mount Washington recently hired to assist in the marketing of sports in Bardstown.
I’ll admit being a bit pessimistic about the need for the community to hire a sports-marketer, but after attending the meeting I made the realization that you can have a team of all-stars, but without a coach, the team won’t shine.
With tourism officials joining hands with local sportsmen and women, the team, gleaming with innovative ideas, is there.
For $1,000 a month, we have a coach too.
Let’s hope the coach can help the team’s ideas flourish. I’m optimistic of Small’s abilities.
Refreshing was that none of the sports discussed during last week’s meeting related to the so-called normal sports.
But that doesn’t mean alternative sports such as disc-golf, paddling and hiking couldn’t be marketable and profitable for the local economy.
One man in attendance noted the traveling disc-golfers would do to play a new course. Of course, with travel comes gas sales, lodging on occasion and food.
Another mentioned how a park-n-play whitewater course could lure hundreds from the region to put in and paddle around whether on their lunch hour or weekend.
A third idea was the construction of trails to connect disc-golf courses with the whitewater park and other local spots such as Sympson Lake.
I was a bit surprised at the enthusiasm Small and tourism officials had in these ideas.
Chairman Nicky Rapier told the disc-golfers their wish was already being considered.
Whitewater enthusiasts were told their hopes couldn’t surface at a better time, considering recent talk of raising the old rock dam at U.S. 31E and Beech Fork.
Small told trailblazer Mike Hammons his skills could come in handy with the disc-golfers, since courses generally make use of wide and wooded paths.
It was a bunch of good news last week to hear the optimism relating to sports generally considered outside the norm.
Committees will be formed to discuss each interest on an individual basis the group decided.
It’s so cool Small and the tourism folks are interested in hearing more ideas such as those discussed last week.
Within a year or two all of us might be able to break free on lunch hour and head to the river to play on the waves.
Within months, we might be able to take the kids for a round of disc-golf after school and work.
Within weeks we may hear of even more opportunities to come.
With plenty of innovative minds filled with plenty of quality ideas, there’s no telling what the sporting future may hold for this area.
While these sports may not be the norm, there’s nothing wrong with them.
Change is Good.
Refreshing, new ideas come from sports meeting
Bob White THE KENTUCKY STANDARD - 5/24/06
Like most Americans, I’ve had my fair share of the so-called normal sports.
I played basketball, football, and baseball as a kid. I also ran track and cross country in my younger years. Most of my involvement in those activities these days includes a television.
While these sports are great for fans and players alike, the constant sight and sound of these sports can make all of them a bit mundane.
Luckily for us in Nelson County, there could be some refreshing opportunities on the horizon.
A handful of local folks met last week to discuss different sporting opportunities with tourism officials and coach Steve Small, a motivating, people-person type of guy from Mount Washington recently hired to assist in the marketing of sports in Bardstown.
I’ll admit being a bit pessimistic about the need for the community to hire a sports-marketer, but after attending the meeting I made the realization that you can have a team of all-stars, but without a coach, the team won’t shine.
With tourism officials joining hands with local sportsmen and women, the team, gleaming with innovative ideas, is there.
For $1,000 a month, we have a coach too.
Let’s hope the coach can help the team’s ideas flourish. I’m optimistic of Small’s abilities.
Refreshing was that none of the sports discussed during last week’s meeting related to the so-called normal sports.
But that doesn’t mean alternative sports such as disc-golf, paddling and hiking couldn’t be marketable and profitable for the local economy.
One man in attendance noted the traveling disc-golfers would do to play a new course. Of course, with travel comes gas sales, lodging on occasion and food.
Another mentioned how a park-n-play whitewater course could lure hundreds from the region to put in and paddle around whether on their lunch hour or weekend.
A third idea was the construction of trails to connect disc-golf courses with the whitewater park and other local spots such as Sympson Lake.
I was a bit surprised at the enthusiasm Small and tourism officials had in these ideas.
Chairman Nicky Rapier told the disc-golfers their wish was already being considered.
Whitewater enthusiasts were told their hopes couldn’t surface at a better time, considering recent talk of raising the old rock dam at U.S. 31E and Beech Fork.
Small told trailblazer Mike Hammons his skills could come in handy with the disc-golfers, since courses generally make use of wide and wooded paths.
It was a bunch of good news last week to hear the optimism relating to sports generally considered outside the norm.
Committees will be formed to discuss each interest on an individual basis the group decided.
It’s so cool Small and the tourism folks are interested in hearing more ideas such as those discussed last week.
Within a year or two all of us might be able to break free on lunch hour and head to the river to play on the waves.
Within months, we might be able to take the kids for a round of disc-golf after school and work.
Within weeks we may hear of even more opportunities to come.
With plenty of innovative minds filled with plenty of quality ideas, there’s no telling what the sporting future may hold for this area.
While these sports may not be the norm, there’s nothing wrong with them.
Change is Good.
Sports Marketing Meeting Meeting Reveals Local Wish List
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Sunday, May 21, 2006
BRIAN WALKER The Kentucky Standard
Public encouraged to submit more ideas
It was the quality no quantity that made the meeting work.
The turnout of 13 people Thursday night for the first public discussion of sports marketing and tourism was more than organizers had expected. Attendees came armed with ideas for a variety of attractions, but the best part was that each carried a genuine enthusiasm, organizers said.
“This is great. To see these folks come in here and talk about what they’d like to see here and to have them commit to help is wonderful,” Bardstown / Nelson County Tourist and Convention Commission Chairman Nicky Rapier said.
The tourism board decided during numerous discussions through the years there was an untapped market of alternative sports, regional events and tournaments that could and should be held in Nelson County.
The board recently took action and hired Steve Small, a retired Western Kentucky University women’s basketball coach, to work as a part-time sports marketing director for the county.
Small introduced himself to the audience at the Fiscal County Meeting Room in the old courthouse with a 10-minute talk about his beliefs and dreams for Nelson County.
He touted the success of plans he helped implement in Bowling Green such as the disc golf explosion, a karate tournament and the popularity of soapbox racing.
Small said he wants to ensure locals get their desires met first even though bringing folks from outside Nelson County here to enjoy the area and to eat in the restaurants and stay in the hotels is important.
“We have got to make sure people that live and work in Bardstown and Nelson County have the recreation and sporting events and things they want first before we worry about everybody else,” he said. “If there is a local market, we will tap into those people and expand it from there.”
Bardstown Parks Department Director Donna Pascal said she was at the meeting to support the efforts of the tourism board and to offer any expertise she could.
Several members of the Bardstown Boaters Club, local disc golf duffers and Mike Hammons, owner of Horizon Hoppers Adventure Services, a local canoe and outdoors operation, were there to ask questions and seek advice on how to push each of the sports they enjoy.
Disc golf combines tossing a Frisbee-like disc into wire baskets, generally mounted on poles on a course. Many rules of standard golf apply in play.
“I’d like to see what it would take to get a white water park set up on Beech Fork River,” said Spalding Hurst of the Bardstown boaters. “There is a great location we have in mind and I know it would draw in kayakers and boaters from all over the place because there isn’t anything like this here close.”
After some group discussion, Hurst and others explained they must travel great distances to do some aspects of their sport and this would become a destination site for boaters or all types.
Rapier said he knows there is currently talk of how to better utilize the river for a water source for Nelson County. Plans are underway to build a new dam, making this the ideal time for the boaters’ wishes to be worked into the project, he said.
“I want you guys to help us do some homework on the logistics and how to help get something like this done in Bardstown,” Rapier said.
Dawn Ballard, Vice President of Tourism Expansion and Marketing for the commission, said she would arrange a more one-on-one meeting with the boaters so in-depth discussion on the topic could take place.
A trio of disc golf players from the area said the closest courses are in Elizabethtown and Radcliff. Those who want to play will drive great distances for a good course, they said.
Small, who said from the outset of his time on the job he supports the game, intends to see a course up and running by year’s end.
“I have been working on trails and different types of things that could be useful in construction of a disc golf course,” Hammons said. The golfers volunteered labor and knowledge too.
That type of cooperation is what it will take to make the work Small and others are doing pay off, Rapier said.
“I’m excited about this,” he said. “We had a nice turnout for a first meeting and there is going to be plenty to follow up on from tonight.”
For more information, call Ballard at 348-4877, Ext. 114 or log onto www.bardstownboaters.com, www.discgolf.com, www.horizonhoppers.com, www.kycanoe.com or www.visitbardstown.com.
Brian Walker can be reached at 348-9003, Ext. 114 or bwalker@kystandard.com.
BRIAN WALKER The Kentucky Standard
Public encouraged to submit more ideas
It was the quality no quantity that made the meeting work.
The turnout of 13 people Thursday night for the first public discussion of sports marketing and tourism was more than organizers had expected. Attendees came armed with ideas for a variety of attractions, but the best part was that each carried a genuine enthusiasm, organizers said.
“This is great. To see these folks come in here and talk about what they’d like to see here and to have them commit to help is wonderful,” Bardstown / Nelson County Tourist and Convention Commission Chairman Nicky Rapier said.
The tourism board decided during numerous discussions through the years there was an untapped market of alternative sports, regional events and tournaments that could and should be held in Nelson County.
The board recently took action and hired Steve Small, a retired Western Kentucky University women’s basketball coach, to work as a part-time sports marketing director for the county.
Small introduced himself to the audience at the Fiscal County Meeting Room in the old courthouse with a 10-minute talk about his beliefs and dreams for Nelson County.
He touted the success of plans he helped implement in Bowling Green such as the disc golf explosion, a karate tournament and the popularity of soapbox racing.
Small said he wants to ensure locals get their desires met first even though bringing folks from outside Nelson County here to enjoy the area and to eat in the restaurants and stay in the hotels is important.
“We have got to make sure people that live and work in Bardstown and Nelson County have the recreation and sporting events and things they want first before we worry about everybody else,” he said. “If there is a local market, we will tap into those people and expand it from there.”
Bardstown Parks Department Director Donna Pascal said she was at the meeting to support the efforts of the tourism board and to offer any expertise she could.
Several members of the Bardstown Boaters Club, local disc golf duffers and Mike Hammons, owner of Horizon Hoppers Adventure Services, a local canoe and outdoors operation, were there to ask questions and seek advice on how to push each of the sports they enjoy.
Disc golf combines tossing a Frisbee-like disc into wire baskets, generally mounted on poles on a course. Many rules of standard golf apply in play.
“I’d like to see what it would take to get a white water park set up on Beech Fork River,” said Spalding Hurst of the Bardstown boaters. “There is a great location we have in mind and I know it would draw in kayakers and boaters from all over the place because there isn’t anything like this here close.”
After some group discussion, Hurst and others explained they must travel great distances to do some aspects of their sport and this would become a destination site for boaters or all types.
Rapier said he knows there is currently talk of how to better utilize the river for a water source for Nelson County. Plans are underway to build a new dam, making this the ideal time for the boaters’ wishes to be worked into the project, he said.
“I want you guys to help us do some homework on the logistics and how to help get something like this done in Bardstown,” Rapier said.
Dawn Ballard, Vice President of Tourism Expansion and Marketing for the commission, said she would arrange a more one-on-one meeting with the boaters so in-depth discussion on the topic could take place.
A trio of disc golf players from the area said the closest courses are in Elizabethtown and Radcliff. Those who want to play will drive great distances for a good course, they said.
Small, who said from the outset of his time on the job he supports the game, intends to see a course up and running by year’s end.
“I have been working on trails and different types of things that could be useful in construction of a disc golf course,” Hammons said. The golfers volunteered labor and knowledge too.
That type of cooperation is what it will take to make the work Small and others are doing pay off, Rapier said.
“I’m excited about this,” he said. “We had a nice turnout for a first meeting and there is going to be plenty to follow up on from tonight.”
For more information, call Ballard at 348-4877, Ext. 114 or log onto www.bardstownboaters.com, www.discgolf.com, www.horizonhoppers.com, www.kycanoe.com or www.visitbardstown.com.
Brian Walker can be reached at 348-9003, Ext. 114 or bwalker@kystandard.com.
Paddlers & Places
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
I finally got my hands on a copy of the Kentucky Standard that has the profile on us. We were featured in the People & Places section on February 26th, but for our profile the section was retitled Paddlers & Places.
Here are some of my favorite lines from the article:
It was about two and half years ago when Spalding Hurst and a handful of his friends headed to Kentucky's Rockcastle River to enjoy the views and quality paddling available in Daniel Boone National Forest.
The trip was the start of something bigger than anyone imagined.
Bardstown Boaters welcomes any level of paddler.
"We were all new once," Justin Janes said. "But I can't say I've ever met a stranger."
Emerson Ballard said he would paddle anything available.
"I'm not what you call a strong paddler," Bal