Support the Pocket Wave 2.0 - Buena Vista, Co.
Donation protected
Thank you for your interest in supporting the Town of Buena's Vista's Whitewater Park. The goal is to raise $20,000 to help with the up-and-coming construction costs related to the planned improvements. Permits, engineering and designs are now finalized, and work will begin once we reach our fundraising goals. The Pocket Wave enhancements (Pocket Wave 2.0) will focus on reconstructing and modifying this existing in-stream play feature. Our objective is to rebuild this wave for the overall enjoyment of all user groups and to help spread out the very large crowds we see daily. The design teams of REP (Salida) have learned a lot in the past eight years and have the insight and know-how to make these improvements for everyone to enjoy.
The Pocket Wave was first built in 2014 and is a popular destination that experiences enormous recreational use in the spring and summer months. The structure no longer functions as originally designed. The new plans call for a complete remodel that will take place in the fall of 2022. This area is the centerpiece of Buena Vista, Colorado, for outdoor recreation and is 100% open to the public and accessible for all users. The park is the longest in Colorado and has five in-stream recreational features. Each of these requires periodic maintenance and upgrades.
This region also showcases numerous trails, benches, interpretive signs, shade structures, swimming holes, fishing access, restrooms, changing stations, etc. The BV Whitewater Park is by far the most sought-after amenity in our little mountain town, for it offers something to everyone who visits. This area is not only used year-round by our residents and Colorado locals; it has brought in recreational and professional paddlers and surfers from around the globe who have supported events like CKS Paddlefest and the USA Freestyle Kayaking Team Trials right here in BV.
The BV River Park started in 2001 when Mike Harvey and REP built the first upstream feature. Back then, features in whitewater parks were intended primarily for freestyle kayakers. With the boom in "park and play" paddlers visiting the Ark Valley, we came back in 2006 to build the Staircase Wave. This in-stream feature was designed specifically for wave surfers and gave Buena Vista River Park another opportunity for river enthusiasts sharing a desire to surf green waves. The Staircase Wave is very crowded with surfers, kayakers, and bodyboarders and is very popular amongst the locals and the guests of Buena Vista.
In 2014, we built the Pocket Wave, which is just downstream of the Staircase Wave. Pocket Wave was designed to be another excellent feature for river surfers and kayakers. While the Pocket Wave is incredible at very high flows, it loses its performance during midrange flows (500-1,500cfs). Unfortunately, as the water drops to below 1600 CFS, the "fun" of the wave disappears. Our goal is to revamp this wave structure for the overall enjoyment of all and help spread out the large crowds we see daily. The design teams have learned a lot in the past six years and have insight and know-how to make these improvements for everyone to enjoy.
Each year the town of Buena Vista contributes $3,500 to match the community's injection of $3,500. In essence, we set aside $7000 annually to maintain and improve the entire park. The maintenance work centers around erosion control, trail maintenance, vegetation rehab, access, and river structure upgrades.
We hope to use GoFundMe as a platform to raise $20,000 of the $70,000 (amount needed to complete the project) that can be put towards the Pocket Wave remodel. Pocket Wave 2.0 will be redesigned in shape to make it an amazing experience for all users year-round. With the massive increase in river park visitation and the explosion of users, we must act today to plan for a safer and more enjoyable future. We are all excited to see the BV River Park continue to blossom into the future, and we would like to thank you in advance for your interest and potential contribution to helping our community reach its goals.
SYOTR
BV River Park Crew.
Organizer
Earl Richmond
Organizer
Buena Vista, CO