Boise Parks & Rec Director Doug Holloway says the city hopes to begin construction on phase two of the Boise whitewater park at the beginning of October or the end of September, these features will be located just downstream of the current whitewater park.
"That will leave us until about the middle of February to the latter part of February to get the three features completed," said Holloway. "At that point, we will start working on the park within the park and if everything goes according to plan phase two would open in the summer of 2019."
The J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation whitewater park has been enjoyed by both surfers and kayakers since the phase one was built in 2012.
"Oh I love it, it is a great opportunity on a hot day to cool off and get a workout in," said Warren Miller who was using his lunch break to kayak the wave. "I can't wait for phase two."
Phase two will offer three more features, another controllable wave and two others that will use boulders and rocks to create hydraulics on the Boise River.
Phase two has been in the works for a year and a half, the city is still trying to get the permits needed from the Idaho DEQ and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but they hope to have those soon so construction can start.
This project also has a partnership with the Irrigation District and when the work starts engineers will divert the river into the Farmers Union Canal, but the city has to wait until irrigation season is over.
Also part of phase two includes a park within the park, plans include putting in two islands above the new features and a terrace for people to watch the action on the water and also goes along with Quinn's Pond and the other water areas the public can use.
"It just creates this enormous water complex that is very attractive to outdoor recreational enthusiasts and the big plus to it, it is free," said Holloway.
The entire project will be around $11 million, however all the funding is already in place the J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation chipped in four million and the city covered the rest.
For more information on the whitewater park including a webcam, click here.
