Fernie pursues dream of Whitewater Park on Elk River

Championship Kayaker Scott Shipley is a consultant on the Fernie whitewater park. —

Photo courtesy Zimbio

There is a push on in Fernie to be the first Kootenay community to add a dedicated whitewater park to its mix of outdoor recreational products.

It is a natural extension of the current usage of the Elk River, which flows through Fernie. Scott Shipley, president of S2o Designs was recently in Fernie to access the potential of a whitewater park. He made a presentation of his finding and suggestions at an open house at the Fernie Golf Course.

"Scott is one of the the premier whitewater park designers in the world today," Dan Savage, Fernie Whitewater Society director told the Fernie Free Press. "Our goal is to cater to everybody, and I think with our great companion, Scott Shipley, we can do that."

Two of the biggest challenges that face the project are permitting and funding. Savage estimated that the project would cost anywhere from $750,000 to over $2 million. Fernie City Council has already injected $8,000 into research on the project and the RDEK has put in another $2,000.

Engineer Scott Shipley brings a varied background to the table. Shipley is among the best-known American kayakers in the world today. A veteran of three Olympic games (1992, 1996 and 2000) and holder of four world titles, Shipley has more than 25 years experience as a whitewater competitor. Scott also holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from top-ranked Georgia Institute of Technology. His design and consulting company is based out of Lyons, Colorado.