Woodfin's Whitewater Wave likely to be completed in 2024 as only wave in WNC

ASHEVILLE - Western North Carolina paddlers may soon have their own "play wave," within easy access for canoeists, kayakers and playboaters, as Woodfin town officials say they expect to break ground on the multi-million-dollar Whitewater Wave project soon, establishing the first and only artificial whitewater wave on the French Broad River.

Since passing a $4.5 million bond referendum in 2016, Woodfin has been working toward the installation of a recreational, artificial whitewater wave that is part of the larger Woodfin Greenway and Blueway project.

Alongside the artificial whitewater wave, Woodfin also plans to install a greenway and expanding the adjacent Woodfin Riverside Park as part of the Greenway and Blueway project. The expansion would include a viewing amphitheater, a play slope, and beach access near the wave, according to the Riverside Park improvements and expansion master plan.

Woodfin Mayor Jim McAllister said the Woodfin Whitewater Wave could see preliminary site work and grading in the "next week or two."

"We hope the wave itself will be available for us by the end of the year," McAllister said.

Whitewater waves provide an opportunity similar to "surfing an ocean wave," except "the wave doesn't go anywhere and doesn't crash," said Kevin Colburn, national stewardship coordinator for American Whitewater. The Western North Carolina-based nonprofit focuses on river preservation and promoting paddling and safety on rivers and streams.

The wave would be one of the few in the region that would be readily available for Western North Carolina's whitewater paddling community, which has an active base in Asheville-area rivers and streams. Besides the Nantahala Outdoor Center in the Swain County town of Wesser, which has a artificial surfing hole, Colburn said there is "nothing like this in WNC."

"The Woodfin Wave will be distinct in its proximity to town and because it should be a wave rather than a hole," Colburn said, noting that other artificial whitewater waves in the region are located in other states.

Artificial waves provide a "safe, outdoor recreation environment to learn skills," while attracting boaters from out of town to visit and adding to the vibrancy of the community, Colburn said.

Colburn noted that some may still travel to the area in the winter months, as some of "the best" boating in the region occurs between January and March, as the lack of leaves on trees allows rivers to rise higher.

"We think it's going to bring in hundreds if not thousands of kayakers," McAllister said.

Greenway spanning from Asheville to Woodfin?

Woodfin Town Manager Shannon Tuch said the project has the potential of bringing a "huge boon" to Woodfin and the great WNC area. Tuch acknowledged that "projects like this don't happen without great community partnerships and collaboration," noting Asheville-based nonprofit RiverLink's role as strategic partner in advocating for funding

The wave and Riverside Park expansion received a significant portion of funding from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, when the TDA gave a $5.9 million grant for the project in 2022.

At the time of funding the project in 2022, the TDA had been told the projects could bring as many as 1,000 people a day to visit the region, the Citizen Times reported.

The whole Woodfin Greenway and Blueway project has also received nearly $12 million funding from the Federal Highway Administration, and around $1.2 million from Buncombe County, which had to match 20% of the FHA's commitment in order to receive the funding.

While the entire Woodfin Greenway and Blueway project is estimated to cost around $35 million, the wave itself is only expected to cost over $4 million, Tuch said. She expects the Riverside Park expansion would likely continue into 2025.

While Tuch said the effort to build the greenway between Silver Line Park and Riverside Park is "on track," the effort to eventually connect the RAD to Woodfin's greenway system could be held up by ongoing North Carolina Department of Transportation work on Future I-26.

McAllister called the area the "missing mile" of greenway, which likely will only see construction in coming years.

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Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at [email protected]. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: WNC, Woodfin whitewater river wave may be completed by end of 2024