will enjoy the experience enough that they become more frequent and experienced repeat whitewater enthusiasts. With no established whitewater community in Montgomery prior to this project, this proj - ect represents an opportunity that would not have been available to the area’s residents, thereby opening them up to join new communi - ties and form new relationships. The impetus behind the Montgomery Whitewater Project is to create a space that has reverberating positive effects in the larger community. For Mackenzie and many other Montgomery residents, the area is full of history and culture that is eager to be rediscovered in the light of the modern era. Like many towns in the South and other areas of the country, Montgomery has problems keeping their young population from moving elsewhere. Gustin says that the Montgomery Whitewater Project will hopefully serve as a catalyst for further recreational and cultural development. The downtown core of Montgomery has been undergoing a period of development over the past twelve years. However, Gustin notes that the short stretch between the city and the nearby Air Force base has been neglected for the past few decades. The whitewater course is just the first part of a redevelopment of this space. Also included in this first phase is a restaurant, patios, a beer garden, climbing areas, zip lines, and trails. Gustin says that the goal is phase one is to offer a little bit of everything, then expand from there. Building a whitewater park where there is not a built in audience is, as Gustin puts it, a “leap of faith.” In addition to attracting visitors from the local community, the park has to pull in visitors from the sur- rounding areas via the interstate. However, despite these challenges,
Gustin believes that the Montgomery Whitewater Project is indicative of the faith the citizens of Montgomery have in their community. The project is also representative of the community it inhabits. Despite having a black population over 50 percent in Montgomery, the com - munity has historically been barred from the same labor opportunities as their white neighbors. Acknowledging this history, the Montgomery Whitewater Project has made it a priority to make their hiring practices for the project representative of the community. With an initial goal of 30 percent minority participation on the project, Gustin says they conducted workshops with community leaders and used channels like radio and churches to encourage minority participation. To date, the 30 percent mark has been exceeded with more than 40 percent minority participation currently. The Montgomery Whitewater Project is scheduled to be completed by Memorial Day 2023.
LUKE CAROTHERS is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.
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August 2022 csengineermag.com
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