Whitewater resources
Five Rivers MetroParks: www.metroparks.org
ECO Sports Corridor: http://ecosportscorridor.com/
Great Miami Outfitters, 25 E. Linden Ave., Miamisburg: 937-847-8787 or www.greatmiamioutfitters.com
True Heights Equipment and Outfitter, 3170 Rodenbeck Drive, Beavercreek: 937-320-2279 or www.true-heights.com
Whitewater Warehouse, 104 Valley St., Dayton: 937-222-7021 or www.kayakdayton.com
It’s impossible for Five Rivers MetroParks outdoor recreation manager Amy Dingle to hide her enthusiasm.
The first phase of the Mad River Run project at Eastwood MetroPark is nearing completion, and Dingle has already been on the water testing out the kayak and canoe whitewater feature along the Mad River.
“I am ecstatic,” Dingle said. “The opportunities to grow the sport are endless.”
Dingle was a paddlesports enthusiast long before she moved to Dayton seven years ago but she is inspired by projects like the Mad River Run that increase paddling opportunities in the region.
“To have something like this in our own backyard is just amazing,” she said.
Dingle is not alone in her enthusiasm as, according to the Outdoor Industry Association, whitewater, sea and recreational kayaking are all among the top 12 outdoor activities with the highest percentage of first-time participants in 2012.
“It’s inexpensive, it’s good exercise, it’s fun and challenging and you get to connect with nature,” Dingle said. “What could be better than that?”
Inspiration close to home
While many whitewater enthusiasts road trip to enjoy their sport, Miami Valley residents don’t have to leave the state or, even, the area code, to play in the waves.
After falling in love with paddling in Colorado, brothers John and Kevin Loftis were experiencing whitewater withdrawal after moving back to Springfield. That is until they brought whitewater to the region.
The brothers heard the naysayers but went ahead with their plans nonetheless and their vision became a reality a few years ago in Springfield. The ECO Sports Corridor Whitewater Park has four recreational whitewater kayaking areas. With the completion of three distinct dam-modification sites, boaters can paddle nine whitewater features as they pass beneath the Springfield Regional Medical Center. The natural limestone shelf-rapids, further upstream, complete a 6-mile run from Buck Creek State Park, through downtown, to the confluence of the Mad River.
Paddlers from Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana regular utilize the beginner-friendly kayaking venue.
“It has been very successful up there,” Dingle said. “Ours is going to be really similar, in fact it is being built and designed by the same company.”
And John Loftis has been an integral part of the planning process.
“This is creating really good synergy in the Miami Valley,” Loftis said. “Having multiple locations for paddlers of various skill levels really creates an opportunity for growth.”
Navigating the learning curve
“For those who are going from point A to point B, this is very beginner friendly,” Dingle said. “For those learning how to do maneuvers, it’s a progression.”
The MetroParks, as well as local retailers like Whitewater Warehouse, offer a variety of classes to help beginners get comfortable on the water and help experienced paddlers fine tune their skills. The addition of a local whitewater feature will enrich those classes.
“It will definitely enhance our teaching area,” Dingle said.
“And the play parks, in general, rapidly accelerate the learning curve,” Loftis said. “There are skills you can learn in a matter of an hour on the water.”
Having this feature close to home will give local paddlers the opportunity to get out and play more often.
“The niche of play parks is really the lunchtime and after-work paddlers,” Loftis said. “But it creates more opportunities for everyone.”
More than some waves
Part conservation, part recreation, the project — funded in part by a $100,000 donation from the Dayton Rotary — will also include significant bank stabilization measures, and will restore a section of river from Eastwood MetroPark to downtown Dayton to as much natural functionality as possible. It will improve public access, aquatic habitat and safety characteristics of the river.
The Mad River Run provides a four-mile paddling experience for kayakers and canoeists who put in at Eastwood and take out near Riverscape MetroPark.
“It’s almost a wilderness feeling when you start out with amazing wildlife and then, before you know it, you’re in an urban area,” Dingle said. “It’s great for paddlers but it’s also a big enhancement for fishing because of the habitat it creates.”
Those interested in fishing will benefit from deep water holes formed by the water flow around the Mad River Run rock structures. Fish tend to concentrate in the deep water to stay out of the river current.
Visitors to the upcoming Midwest Outdoor Experience can get a first-hand look at the Mad River Run. The annual outdoor recreation festival takes place Oct. 4-5 at Eastwood MetroPark.
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