#16... Go With The Flow

Why We Love It...

It symbolizes what Roswell's all about... successful small town retail in the heart of our historic district focused on an outdoorsy lifestyle. They've been around since 1983 which shows that the business is an anchor in the community.  It's much more than just paddling with lifestyle gear and actually they probably have some of the best Roswell themed t-shirts around.  

What We Would Change..

As we're getting higher and higher on our list, there are fewer and fewer things that we'd change.  I'd really like to see them start offering lessons though.  You can find people who give lessons in and around Roswell but I'd guess a partnership with GWTF would be a boon to anyone giving lessons.  I know that might not be in their business model but novice kayakers need a place to start and why not say you started at Go With the Flow?  Oh yeah, I'm not running the business and I'm sure they have their reasons but I'd suggest that they keep the shop open during Alive After Five events.  I'm sure the crowds would be a pain in the neck though.

A Whitewater Recreation Center in Roswell

This is the 24th post in a series of posts this December that will chronicle the 25 things we would most like to see in Roswell. None of these are actually happening... at least in the way we'd like them to. Please enjoy and have a happy holidays! 

Santa.. this is the big one.. This is what I really, really, really want for Christmas this year.  I know you probably can't make it happen but I'm going to ask anyway.  I want a whitewater rafting and recreation center right here in Roswell.  I want it to be like the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte.

Readers follow me here.  If you've visited Charlotte in the past 4-5 years, you may have heard about the U.S. National Whitewater Center there.  It is on the west side of town in a pretty remote/difficult to access area off the I-485 bypass.  Unfortunately, the business itself is struggling due in part to high operational costs but mostly due to poor attendance.  I believe that both issues could be overcome here in Roswell.  Primarily, I'm certain that the attendance issue wouldn't exist due to a more metropolitan and visible location.

Now that you know what it is that I'm talking about, let's take a look at where I'm talking about.  I think an attraction of this nature would fit perfectly at the southern end of the historic corridor.  There are a couple other locations including one in Sandy Springs that would work.. but when you look at what location would spark the right type of development, encourage visitors to come to Roswell to spend money and increase the tax rolls the most, you need to look at this location.  Pictured below is a side by side at the same size of the whitewater center in Charlotte (right, upside down) and the location I'm thinking of which is the north west corner of the S Atlanta St/Azalea Rd intersection.  You can see that the overlay would almost be perfect.  

 

So, what are the pitfalls.  Currently, there is an apartment complex there.  This would have to be purchased by the city or by a private developer.  It's likely that some of the adjacent properties would need to be purchased as well.  The topography in this area has some pretty steep terrain.  A comprehensive survey would need to be done to ensure that the fall would not be too steep to support a water flow conducive to kayaking and whitewater rafting.  Assuming that those challenges could be met, you are looking at funding and profitability.  The whitewater center in Charlotte cost roughly $35M (not sure of the exact numbers) and has only been able to turn a profit in the past year after a debt restructuring.  Again, having lived in Charlotte and visited the center on multiple occasions, I believe this to be an issue of location and accessibility.  The facility is absolutely incredible and would draw experts and novices alike.  

Roswell would not have the same issues.  Here in Roswell, we have other attractions that could serve as catalysts to feed the development.  I see the following existing and future developments as major catalysts that would contribute to the success of this project:  

• The Chattahoochee River which has an environment for river paddling that would complement the whitewater.
• Riverside park and our summer concert series
• The Atlanta Rowing Club offers another paddling alternative
• The heavy bicycling traffic which I would see as complementary and hitting the theme of outdoor recreation that Roswell should brand itself around
• The Chattahoochee Nature Center which is another city attraction that draws visitors from around the region
• Historic Roswell - shopping, dining and entertainment
• Go With the Flow - one of the most respected paddling retail shops around
• Roswell Mill Park - outdoor activities right up the street with historic sites as well
• Rock Climbing at Allenbrook - more outdoor activities right next to this site
• Andretti's Indoor Karting - It's a few miles away but it is another draw that coupled with the whitewater recreation center could encourage visitors to make their way to Roswell.. (btw.. I love Andretti's)

Now, let's tie in the rest of my wish list into this item.  I didn't do this intentionally from the start but as I continued to post, it became an obvious synergy.  You can see the following posts would all synergize well with this project: 

• Build the Boutique Hotel on the Square - People would actually stay here if a regional attraction were right down the road.
• A Canopy Tour - Once again hitting on the outdoor theme and having Roswell work to become the premiere outdoor recreation destination in the state.  This would work perfectly and could probably be run by the same organization as the whitewater recreation center.
• A Weekend Trolley Around the Historic Corridor - Get visitors from the whitewater recreation center up to the other areas of our historic district where they can enjoy other amenities.
• Build the Bike Bridge - This continues the focus on outdoor recreation and would get Sandy Springs riders right to the hub of outdoor recreation.  Why wouldn't Sandy Springs chip in $350k for the bridge?
• Connect the Big Creek Greenway - What better way to anchor the greenway that stretches well into Forsyth County?  I think riders might make the trek just to have lunch at the whitewater center restaurant.
• Build the Roswell Loop - Where's the starting point for the loop?  Well, the whitewater recreation center sure would be a great place to start and finish a 20+ mile ride.
• All Aboard!! Let's Bring a Train to North Fulton - The Chattahoochee stop on my proposed route would drop folks off right at the doorstep of the whitewater recreation center.  Now, getting the train through the ground and over/under the river is a challenge in itself.. but don't forget that this is my wishlist folks.. I don't have to be reasonable.  I'm sure my parents didn't think I was reasonable when I was 6.
• New City Tagline.. 'This is living...this is Roswell' - I'm not a fan of this tagline.  My opinion is that Roswell needs to brand itself as the premier outdoor recreation destination in the state of Georgia and maybe even the southeast US.  Let's try something like..  "Get outside and enjoy life... in Roswell" or "Live.. Play.. Love.. Roswell."  These aren't perfect but I don't get paid $30k to come up with slogans either.

Well, it's been fun coming up with 24 things that I would like to see happen here in Roswell.  I hope you have enjoyed the list.  Obviously, many of these are pipe dreams but there's nothing wrong with being a dreamer.  You may have noticed that there are only 24 posts... well, what Christmas would be complete without some stocking stuffers.  Tomorrow, I am going to post the final installment of stocking stuffers which are some small presents.

Merry Christmas Roswell!!

images: WagsomeDog @ Flickr, Doug Letterman @ Flickr, Google Maps

Earth Day Events in Atlanta

There are a lot of events going on this week and next to celebrate Earth Day. We've rounded up what is going on in the Metro Area for you. Check out the links for the full details of each event.

Festivals

Sweetwater 420 Fest

When: Saturday, April 18th (12pm - 10pm), Sunday, April 19th (1230pm - 8pm)
Where: Historic Candler Park 1500 McLendon Ave. NE Atlanta, GA 30307





Beltline Earth Day Cleanup

When: Saturday, April 18th (9am - 12pm)
Where: Freedom Parkway Bridge to DeKalb Ave



Georgia Tech Earth Day Celebration

When: Friday, April 17th (10am - 2pm)
Where: Ga Tech Student Union


7th Annual Earth Day Kids Fest

When: Saturday, April 18th (10am - 3pm)
Where: Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell, GA 30075

Earth Share Georgia Party in the Sky ($50, RSVP Required)

When: Wednesday, April 22nd (7pm - 10pm)
Where: Nelson Mullins, 201 17th Street, Atlantic Station




Atlanta Zoo Party for the Planet Earth Day Celebration

When: Saturday, April 25th (10am - 5pm)
Where: Atlanta Zoo




Decatur Green Fest

If you can't make it out on Earth Day, on either of the weekends bookending Earth day or you didn't get enough, Decatur is holding the Decatur Green Fest on May 2nd.

When: May 2nd (3pm - 930pm)
Location: Old Courthouse Square, Decatur

 

Peach Bites

One Of Most Endangered Rivers In Georgia
from GPB News by Edgar Treiguts

The conservation group American Rivers released their report on the 10 most endangered waterways in the U.S. There is some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the Chattahoochee River is not on the list. The bad news is that the Flint River is on the list. It is actually the #2 most endangered river according to their report.


Georgia ranks No. 25 in nation for energy costs
Atlanta Business Chronicle

We're right smack in the middle of the pack. Unfortunately, we don't have more renewable energy.Georgia’s energy cost ranks in the middle of the country, according to a new study released by The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council. The lowest cost states are 1) Wyoming; 2) Idaho; 3) Utah; 4) Kentucky; and 5) West Virginia. The highest cost states are 46) Massachusetts; 47) Rhode Island; 48) Alaska; 49) Connecticut — tied with New York — and 50) Hawaii.


Adult workshops in Atlanta - an engaging and educational schedule for spring
from Atlanta Green Parenting Examiner

The Chattahoochee Nature Center is a great place to visit and learn about wildlife and environmental issues in our area. They are offering adult classes on topics including birding, rafting, photography and fishing. Additionally, the new Chatthoochee Nature Center Discovery Center and pavilion is scheduled to open in June.

Study: Spammers scourge to inbox and environment
from AP

A study was released today detailing the overall impacts of Spam email. Unfortunately, the impact is not limited to cyberspace. McAfee Inc's study estimates that the total amount of power wasted each year that can be attributed to Spam email is enough to power 2.4 million US homes for a year. WOW! Spam has one heck of a carbon footprint.

This Week in Atlanta

This week is going to be a really busy week for green events here in Atlanta. Many Earth Day celebrations will be held on Saturday the 18th. Here's a preview of what is going on this week:

April 13 (Monday)

630pm - 830pm - Beltline Public Workshop - Southeast Study Group

April 14 (Tuesday)

7pm - 10pm - Sierra Club - Metro Atlanta Chapter Monthly Meeting

April 16 (Thursday)

530pm - 7pm - Andres Duany, Free Talk on Smart Growth Principles in Decatur

April 17 (Friday)

730am - 9am - Central Atlanta Progress/ADID Town Hall Meeting - The Ritz Carlton Atlanta
All Day - Georgia Tech Earth Day Celebration

April 17 - 19 (Fri-Sat)

Dogwood Festival at Piedmont Park

April 18 (Saturday)

City of Alpharetta Bulky Trash & Electronics Recycling Day \

Earth Share of Georgia Corporate Green Day Challenge

8am - 12pm - Beltline Earthday Cleanup

9am - 12pm - Trees Atlanta Planting, Location Varies
10am - 3pm - 7th Annual Earth Day Kids Fest - Chattahoochee Nature Center
8am - 5pm - Earth Day at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center

April 18 - 19 (Sat-Sun)

Sweetwater 420 Fest, Historic Candler Park

The Drought is Over

image courtesy of Brian Hursey
 
It was announced yesterday that the three year-old drought is finally over. This is fantastic news for the city of Atlanta. However, Lake Lanier is still about 9 feet below full pool.  Additionall rain this week should help that out.

The one thing we should all take away from the severity of this drought is how quickly we can get into trouble. I am hoping that the water conservation efforts don't fall by the wayside given this news. In the past 18 months, the city of Atlanta has dropped it's water use by more than 20% according to the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Management District.  I think we can do better and it is important that we try since we are a growing city and the largest major city with the smallest water supply.

So, even though this is great news, everyone needs to stay vigilant with their conservation efforts. See the WaterSense website for ways to conserve in your household.

This Week in Atlanta - 2/09/2009

Here are just a few events in town this week. Check on our calendar for more details.

Tue Feb 10		1pm – 2pm	City of Alpharetta - Composting Workshop - 13450 Cogburn Road, Alpharetta, GA
Sat Feb 14		6pm – 10pm	Lusting for Local Food - Georgia Organics - The Gardens at Kennesaw
Sun Feb 15		2pm – 3:30pm	Sweetwater Creek Visitor's Center Tour - Sweetwater Creek State Park

On the Bookshelf - 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles - Atlanta

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Atlanta

Written by husband and wife Randy & Pam Golden with the American Hiking Society.

This is a great book for getting out of the house for an inexpensive, fun outing. My wife bought this for me for my birthday last year just after moving back to Atlanta from Charlotte. Our goal is to hike all of the trails in the book over the course of the next two years. That puts us at about one trail every two weeks. We've done about 8 hikes in 3 months which is behind schedule but the weekend weather has been chilly and we had to throw in some slack time during the holidays.

The book is divided into regions and hiking types at the beginning. The region is divided into Atlanta (hikes near downtown), Northwest, Northeast and South. Each region has about an equal number of hikes which makes this useful no matter what part of town you live in. They also classify the hikes by type; Busy Hikes, Hikes Featuring Waterfalls, Hikes Featuring Wildflowers, Hikes Good for Children, Hikes Good for Solitude, Hikes Good for Wildlife Viewing, Hikes With Steep Sections, Historic Trails, Lake Hikes, Scenic Hikes, Trails Good for Mountain Bikes, Trails Good for Runners, Urban Hikes, Hikes Less than 3 Miles, 3 to 6 Miles and Longer than 6 Miles. The one thing I wish they had added is a category of Hikes Good for Dogs. Dog lovers will have to check ahead.

Each hike has a map with an elevation chart. The writers provided directions as well as a section for At-a-Glance Information. The book also takes each hike and gives an 'In Brief' overview of the hike. This is followed by a couple page description of the hike with landmarks, points of interest, clarification of areas that may cause confusion as well as historical information. Each hike ends with a brief section of nearby attractions.

Our next planned hike is Kennesaw Mountain: Burnt Hickory Loop. The "In Brief" on this hike is that it "is the most challenging trail in the book and one of the most rewarding in the Atlanta area." We're looking forward to this one and you'll probably see a post on it in the near future.

The GreenPeaches rating on this one is a 4 out of 5 peaches. Buy it from Amazon if you are interested or try your local library to see if it is available there.



mdh

Getting to Know.. Georgia's State Parks

As Georgian's we are very fortunate to have a diverse range of regions. We have beaches, coastal plains, foothills, canyons, mountains and much more. We are also lucky to have a very robust state park system. The Georgia State Park network has over 40 parks and many more historic sites that protect nearly 75,000 acres. These parks provide a great opportunity for a family outing or just a reconnection with nature and/or the history and culture of our state. Many of the parks are just a short drive from metro Atlanta. Click here for a state map.

Some of the most popular parks within driving distance of Atlanta are Amicalola Falls, Vogel and Sweetwater Creek. The falls at Amicalola are the tallest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River and are absolutely beautiful. Additionally, there are numerous trails to hike around the 800+ acre park. At Vogel State Park, you can see some of the most picturesque scenes in all of Georgia. The park is at the base of Blood Mountain and offers some of the best camping in the state. With lake and mountain views, this one is a must visit. Sweetwater Creek is perhaps more famous right now for the beer that shares its name but the park is as good as if not better than the beer. The creek is a nice setting for relaxing, fishing or feeding ducks but our favorite part is the visitor center which is one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in Georgia. It is LEED - NC Platinum certified which is the highest rating that the US Greenbulding Council gives.

Sprawl has been and continues to be an issue for many of the parks around metro areas. The National Park Trust has been evaluating and working on these issues for more than a decade. Unfortunately, many of our parks in the metro area have already been encroached upon by commercial and residential development. The current economic crisis is impacting reparis and maintenance in the parks and we should expect to see continued cutbacks with proposed budget shortfalls.

Regardless of these issues, our park system is robust and is there to be enjoyed by everyone in Georgia. Get out and go for a hike and don't forget to bring your camera (with charged batteries).

Look for upcoming posts featuring many of our state parks and their surrounding areas.


Additional Info..

Website - www.gastateparks.org

Park pass - $30/year or generally $3/day for parking

Pets - Most of the parks offer hiking and I have found that they are usually dog friendly. It is always a good idea to check ahead to be sure if you are bringing your canine companion. Many of the parks offer camping and some offer RV hookups if that is your style.

Related Groups and Organizations - Friends of Georgia State Parks, Get Outdoors Georgia