By Jack Kiser
Record-Courier outdoors writer
By now, many Northeast Ohio outdoors enthusiasts have caught wind of or been privy to at least some information concerning the City of Kent's plans to further develop its downtown riverfront and outlaying adjacent Cuyahoga River areas by virtue of a potential whitewater rafting park.
I am here to tell you that although some initial rumors were incorrect on many of the particulars or a bit fanciful on some projections, the essence of the reports are indeed true.
Ohio's initial "National Legendary River" continues its ongoing and overdue reverence and re-utilization by cities, villages and other municipalities along its storied route its from Geauga County's "Lost Lake" source down through its semi-circuitous route ending at the Great Lake Erie just astride Cleveland's revitalized "Flats" area.
The fundamental difference in the modern utilization of the river by varied government entities from the picturesque Hiram Rapids through the rehabbed Front Street area of Cuyahoga Falls downriver to the Cascade Valley National Park concerns the long, hard, and at times cynically chastised transition of the waterway from essentially a wastewater dumping ground of the past to a celebrated and revered center of recreation and relaxation that has only begun its journey as arguably the nation's number one national ecological comeback story in history.
While the pace and totality of the river's grandly promising future lies largely tied to the depth of commitment of the City of Akron's twin responsibilities of maintaining realistic and improved water levels released from their upriver LaDue and Rockwell impoundments and the long overdue overhaul of their 19th century "combined" sewer system that, while finally somewhat improved, continues to tragically befoul the lower Cuyahoga, other river cities have almost uniformly jumped at the chance to celebrate and embrace the waterway that has so diligently sacrificed itself for centuries to enable the emergence of the Western Reserve.
Kent Parks and Recreation Director and Long Island, N.Y. native John Idone struggles to control his enthusiasm for the city's whitewater rafting project even while soberly noting the list of variables and obstacles to be overcome -- primarily funding. The city hopes to facilitate the project without having to levy any directly related financial burden on the taxpayers of the city.
With the valued input of everyone from consultant Mike Harvey of Boulder, Colorado-based Recreational Building and Planning to outdoorsman and kayak enthusiast Dave Hill of Cuyahoga Falls, the city is much in hope of securing grant money with its eventual presentation to the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
Geographically, Idone projects the literal course running from about Crane Avenue near "Brady's Leap" downriver to near the Main Street bridge. Sluice gates still existant near the recently largely removed downtown dam might necessitate boaters and other slightly larger craft perhaps one day utilizing the river clear from Tanner's Park clear to Munroe Falls.
When pressed for a possible completion date, Idone is cautious but frank.
"Jack, if all things go at all reasonably well, three years is realistic," Idone told me.
Not a long time to wait at all when you consider that history is being made.
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Jack Kiser is the host of TV's "Buckeye Angler" and is a member of Outdoor Writers of Ohio. He may be contacted through the Kent/Ravenna Record-Courier or at his buckeyeangler.com Web site.