Boise takes whitewater park to the next level

Every day at noon, Boise Parks and Recreation changes the shape of the wave at Boise Whitewater Park to accommodate kayakers and boogie boarders or surfers. Boise Parks and Recreation wave technician Paul Primus checks out the action at Boise Whitewater Park.(Katherine Jones/Idaho Statesman/TNS)

Credit: Katherine Jones/Idaho Statesman

Credit: Katherine Jones/Idaho Statesman

Every day at noon, Boise Parks and Recreation changes the shape of the wave at Boise Whitewater Park to accommodate kayakers and boogie boarders or surfers. Boise Parks and Recreation wave technician Paul Primus checks out the action at Boise Whitewater Park.(Katherine Jones/Idaho Statesman/TNS)

Work should begin by early November on the second phase of Boise’s Whitewater Park, Boise Parks and Recreation director Doug Holloway said.

Crews have to wait until irrigation season ends and the Boise River drops to winter levels, Holloway said. After that, they’ll begin work on the riverbank. They’ll add tiered seating and build take-out and put-in points for surf boards, kayaks and other water craft.

Every day at noon, Boise Parks and Recreation changes the shape of the wave at Boise Whitewater Park to accommodate kayakers and boogie boarders or surfers. Wave technician and kayaker Andrew Webb does a trick called a "loop," that looks like a backward summersault in a boat. (Katherine Jones/Idaho Statesman/TNS)

Credit: Katherine Jones/Idaho Statesman

icon to expand image

Credit: Katherine Jones/Idaho Statesman

Originally, the city planned to install wave-making features in the river this year and do the bank work next year, Holloway said. Now, those projects will flip-flop. The city wants to make sure it has plenty of time to obtain permits for the wave-shaping devices, Holloway said.

Since the opening of its first phase in 2012, the whitewater park has been a big lure for surfers, kayakers and other types of wave junkies. The park’s popularity has only increased with the recent opening of Esther Simplot Park nearby and the construction of a beach at Quinn’s Pond just east of the whitewater park.

The whitewater park’s second phase has been planned for several years. The city has already spent $1.8 million on design work and new equipment that diverts water from the river into an irrigation canal, Holloway said.

The second phase will include an adjustable wave shaper similar to the one in the first phase. Other in-stream features will include boulders that produce a variety of wave types for a range of skill levels, Holloway said. The boulders will be similar to what’s in place at Kelly’s Whitewater Park in Cascade.

The Boise project’s expected completion date hasn’t changed. Holloway said he hopes to open the park’s second phase by summer of 2019.

The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation donated $1.7 million for the construction of the park’s first phase and $3.5 million for the second phase. The Boise City Council is scheduled to officially accept the second phase money Tuesday at its regular meeting.

The city will cover the rest of the second phase’s cost, expected at about $7 million.