Montgomery whitewater park: What you’ll be able to do, how much it'll cost, when you can go
Downtown Montgomery will become a lot more popular in the next few years, thanks to a new multimillion dollar development project, announced Friday morning.
A whitewater park and outdoor center is coming to Maxwell Boulevard near the Air Force base, Alabama River and Interstate 65. Here's a breakdown of what's to come.
What activities and amenities will be included in this park?
The 25-acre park, according to a development plan, will feature:
- Whitewater rafting
- Kayaking
- Restaurants and shops
- Beer garden
- Outdoor concert venue
- Hotel and conference center
The area surrounding the park will include:
- Climbing tower
- Zip lines
- Mountain biking
- Rope course
Core attractions will stretch all the way to the Alabama River.
For example, the high ropes courses will be about 500 linear feet in the first phase of construction. Zip line tours will be 600 linear feet long, and the climbing center is expected to have 2,500 square feet.
When does design of the park start?
Desi is expected to start in the fall of 2019.
When is it expected to be completed?
There is a targeted opening of spring 2022 after the first phase of construction.
Expect more to be added with each phase of construction across the area that currently has Riverside Park, an empty field that was once Riverside Heights housing and other buildings.
Where did the money and land for this project come from?
A pool of public and private funding within a cooperative district controlled by Montgomery County.
This sounds like a big investment. What are the numbers?
The city is contributing about $16M worth of land, which has long owned the land and bought the last handful of homes on the site over the last few years. The last resident leaves by Sept. 1. Montgomery County is providing about $35 million into the project.
How long has the plan for this park been in development?
It's been in the work for years under the code name "project catalyst" with the idea it'll kick off expansion for the downtown area and the city. Several city, county and state leaders, including state Sen. David Burkette and state Rep. Kirk Hatcher, were involved and supported the project.
How much will it cost me and my family to enjoy the activities?
There's not a solid list of prices yet, but for reference, the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C. is similar. Here's how their price list looks:
Day Pass: $59
Two-Day Pass: $109
Annual Pass: $219
There are also single-activity passes which range between $30 and $90.
Ashley Trawick is a digital producer for the USA Today Network. You can find her on Twitter.