ROANOKE, VA – Roanoke is one step closer to a first of it’s kind, in-river kayak park.
The city is adding to it’s already rich outdoor tourism opportunities by adding challenges for kayakers by introducing features like rocks and more sand to create manmade rapids.
We first told you about the park back in 2022 - but as of last week, the city posted the invitation for contractors to bid on the project.
They expect to have the bids in by early December, where they’ll contract with a company to actually build the facility.
Project managers say it’s a it’s a long, complicated process.
“Making sure that we’re doing the work to make a project that serves all the goals that we have for our recreational use, but at the same time is making sure that the process of building it will be taking care of the river and all the species that call it home,” Park Project Manager Katie Slusher said.
The $2 Million project is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.
They hope to start construction on the park in late winter or early spring of this year - with the goal of opening to the public by summer 2026
