Testing the waters: Bend whitewater park nears opening

Ending summer with a splash, volunteer kayakers took to the Deschutes River Thursday to test Bend’s new whitewater park.

“We’re finally getting in the water to see how things are rocking and rolling,” said Jayson Bowerman of the Bend Paddle Trail Alliance. “It takes a few rides to get the hang. We’ve also been making some adjustments.”

The crew is perfecting the artificial waves in hopes of a smooth rollout. The more than $9.5 million park is expected to open in just a couple weeks and will feature three separate passages under the Colorado Avenue Bridge: a channel for floaters and fish, another one for habitat — and the one designed for thrills.

“It’s really powerful — advanced kayakers are really going to enjoy that,” Bowerman said.

With natural boulders visible, the feature only looks wild. Underneath the surface, 25 bladders form four distinct waves, and it’s engineered to change shapes with just the push of a button.

“It’s just an app,” said wave shaper Ryan Richard, holding up an iPad in a waterproof case. “The position of the gates are extremely sensitive — inches can change an entire wave.”

Richard said he plans on working seven days a week maneuvering the waves to give riders a new experience.

One might assume Richard is an engineer, but much of his background includes biology and working as a paramedic. He got the job because he’s a water enthusiast with lots of experience. Before accepting the job with Bend Park and Rec, he was a wave shaper at a whitewater park in Boise.

“The key thing is being able to look at a wave and read the water,” Richard said.

The designer waves are built to offer something for all abilities, but Richard warns: Water is still water.

“Just because we have some control over the water, there’s still all the dangers that go along with whitewater rivers that occur in nature,” he said. “But it is still designed to be as safe as possible.”

Richard said the waves are designed to deliver between Class I and Class III rapids.

Kayakers and surfers enjoyed it all — rushing into the waves for hours, spinning around and flipping over.

“So far so good,” said kayaker Dustin Urban. “We’re having a great time.”

Take that as an official stamp of approval from a world champion. Urban has been on the U.S. Freestyle kayak team nine times. Now he looks forward to playing right at home.

“It’s the cherry on top,” Urban said of the park. “You know, we all know Bend is really special.”

The big waves are perfect to ride out summer.

Park officials want to remind you the park is not open yet to the public, and people who trespass can be subject to fines.

For more information on the park, you can visit its official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BendWhitewaterPark?fref=ts