Mountain bikers and kayakers could soon have new places to recreate, thanks to plans for two new parks in and near Ketchum.
At a meeting Monday night, the Ketchum City Council heard presentations on a proposed dirt bike track and a whitewater park located north of town.
Ketchum Parks Superintendent Jen Smith said the dirt bike park, also called a "pump park," would be located on a vacant lot adjacent to the parking lot on the corner of Eighth Street and Second Avenue. The lot, owned by the Blaine County School District, is currently covered with a large mound of dirt and knapweed.
Smith said the track would be less than half an acre and would be able to be razed quickly if the land is required for another use in the future. It would be designed for users to work on dirt and mountain biking skills, with berms and bumps.
According to Smith, the idea was generated by Ketchum City Planner Mark Goodman.
"It will be a great place to work on mountain biking skills before getting into the hard stuff," Smith said.
At the meeting, the council committed to helping clear the land with the use of the city's heavy machinery. However, Smith said the majority of the work would be completed by volunteers.
"We want to keep the costs way, way down," she said.
Smith said the school district needs to give a final green light on the park, but that it has already expressed its approval. It would also need a conditional-use permit from the Ketchum Planning and Zoning Commission.
If all goes to plan, Smith said construction could begin by the end of the month.
The whitewater park could take longer to come to fruition due to additional bureaucratic requirements, but has strong support from the council and members of the public.
If approved, the park would be located north of Ketchum near the Hulen Meadows pond.
This area is on federal land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, but is part of an existing Recreation and Public Purposes project application that would give Ketchum a long-term lease on about 200 acres stretching from the Sun Peak day-use area to the southern edge of Lake Creek.
Guy Robins, a member of the Wood River Whitewater Park Committee, presented the idea to the council, explaining that the park would include a number of rock drop structures that would create waves and holes in which kayakers, boogie boarders and surfers could play.
Robins said the park could begin at the Hulen Meadows pond and then follow a course down to the Sun Peak day-use area.
"There is risk with all the recreational activities in the valley," Robins said. "But this would provide a more controlled environment."
Robins said the park would be a great place both for experienced boaters and those looking to learn to kayak.
Hailey resident Dan Davidson said such a park would be a significant tourist draw, as has been seen by the creation of similar whitewater parks in other Western cities.
While the council expressed support for the project, especially since it would also be primarily funded and built through donations and volunteers, the proposal needs approval of the BLM and the Idaho Department of Water Resources.
Jon Duval: jduval@mtexpress.com
Kayakers could have a new playground in Ketchum, if a proposal now before the Ketchum City Council gains any traction.
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