The City of Boise has hired the McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group (MWDG), a Denver-based company, and lCH2M Hill and Quadrant Consulting of Boise to design the River Recreation Park located on the Boise River between Main Street and Veterans Memorial Park.

A team of Boise City employees and volunteers reviewed proposals and recommended the McLaughlin team for the project. The contract was approved Feb. 12 by the Boise City Council.

The project will be constructed in a section of river that was channelized during the mid-1900s, and will provide a more natural riparian setting, additional plants and improved fish habitat. Features include in-river drops, chutes and boulder obstacles as well as riverbank seating areas for pedestrians. Several shared amenities will also benefit the adjacent Esther Simplot Park, including roads, parking lots, pathways and a shelter/changing area.

Since 1984, engineers and architects at MWDG have designed more than 20 river recreation parks throughout the country. These range from local recreational parks on natural rivers to man-made courses selected to host World Cup Slalom, US Freestyle Nationals and Olympic events. MWDG’s courses include the 1996 Olympic Whitewater course on the Ocoee River in Tennessee and the Adventure Sports Center International course, a mountain top man-made recirculating whitewater channel in Maryland. The firm is currently working on a recreational river park planned in Hailey, Idaho.

CH2M Hill and Quadrant have experience working on local hydraulic modeling, habitat and wetlands projects as well as mitigation design along the Boise River corridor and state and federal permit processes.

The public is invited to provide feedback about design elements at an open house starting at 6:30 p.m. April 2 at Whittier Elementary School, 301 N. 29th St.

The contract cost is $279,150, funded by the City of Boise under the direction of Boise Parks & Recreation. The Mayor and City Council have committed $750,000 of city funds for the park. Volunteers are seeking private donations for the $4 million project. Click here for information about the fundraising effort.

For information about design and construction of the park, please contact Wendy Larimore at 384-4060, ext. 324 or wlarimore@cityofboise.org.

Contacts:
Wendy Larimore, Project Manager, 384-4060, ext. 324 or wlarimore@cityofboise.org
Amy Stahl, Community Relations, 384-4060, ext. 304 or astahl@cityofboise.org