The Five Rivers MetroParks will debut its new river run on Friday at the RiverScape Pavilion.
After almost 20 years of planning and two years of construction, the $4 million project is complete.
The project constructionbegan in July 2015 with the removal of the low dam near the Dayton Art Institute. The project was privately funded, in part, with a $1 million challenge grant from the James M. Cox Foundation in July 2011 that jump started the project.
In the summer of 2015, Oakwood artist Amy Deal was selected to paint the 1,000-foot-long flood wall. Deal’s proposal for the mural, which was chosen from 80 submissions, included images of what’s happening near or on the river, such as bicycling and jogging.
There are references to Dayton’s Wright Brothers, with designs of The Wright Flyer and bicycle wheels.
» RELATED: Oakwood artist selected for Dayton's River Run Mural
With the completion of two river chutes, located near RiverScape and the Dayton Art Institute, paddlers are able to launch on the Mad River and take a seven-mile paddle without takeouts. The two chutes offer paddlers of varying skill-levels smooth-water and white water passageways.
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