New whitewater park okay'd for Sacandaga River

(10/24/11) The Adirondack Park Agency has approved construction of a new whitewater paddling park on the Sacandaga River in the southern Adirondack town of Hadley. Tom Saehrig is a planner with the APA. He says the goal is to add boulders and other challenging water features that will offer a fresh draw to sport kayakers.

"These are adjustable hydraulic wave control structures," Saehrig said. "They'll also be building a pool where the kayakers can play and enjoy this portion of the structure. They anticipate that more kayakers will come to the area."

John Duncan from Queensbury heads the Sacandaga-Hudson Advisory Council, which organized the project, which has been in the works since 2004. He told Brian Mann that changes to the Sacandaga River are needed as the sport of whitewater kayaking continues to evolve. But Duncan says even with APA approval, it's unclear how the new park will be paid for.