BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Bowling Green Board of Commissioners approved submitting a $3.64 million grant application to create a whitewater recreational park in Barren River in Downtown Bowling Green. It requests funding from the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program.
The estimated total cost of Barren River Whitewater Park Project is $7.28 million. The city is committing to a 50% matching funds requirement of $3.64 million and has partnered with Recreation Engineering and Planning in Boulder, Co., and existing Riverfront Park’s design firm, MKSK, on the plan.
Bowling Green unveiled the Riverfront Park Master Plan in January, after spending much of 2023 researching and getting in-person and online feedback from nearly 3,000 community participants across several events. Whitewater sports was one of the top five responses from the community for the future of Riverfront Park.
The Barren River Whitewater Park Project would provides new recreational opportunities by adding five instream drop structures to replace the existing dam. The drops will create fun, safe sporting options for whitewater enthusiasts, while also giving all-new river access for anglers, instream splashers, and users with disabilities.
“Activating our river as a safe, outdoor recreation space for residents and visitors reminds us that Bowling Green is always on the move and improving our quality of life,” Mayor Todd Alcott said Tuesday.
The nearest whitewater park is a 4.5-hour drive away from Bowling Green. This project will fill a void for the 9.3 million people in the surrounding region.
“This whitewater park project elevates our Riverfront Park plans and would build the whole park into a true destination,” said Brent Childers, Director of Neighborhood & Community Services. “Our Riverfront Park will be an excellent local amenity with lots of new outdoor recreation features, but securing this whitewater park would take it to the next level for adventure travelers and enthusiasts.”
Barren River Whitewater Park project amenities will enhance the downtown scene and transform Bowling Green’s riverfront. Public and private investments and partnerships continue being catalysts for economic and community development, talent attraction, workforce retention, and tourism. Riverfront Park and its projects will bring generational change to Bowling Green, city officials said.
