Whitewater park planned near Siloam Springs

SILOAM SPRINGS -- A 30-acre whitewater park to be built on the Oklahoma-Arkansas border will host kayaking, surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, tubing and rafting, officials announced Thursday.

The Illinois River park is expected to have 85,000 visitors annually with an estimated annual economic impact of $900,000, according to a news release.

Officials with the Grand River Dam Authority in Oklahoma and Siloam Springs made the announcement.

The Walton Family Foundation is paying 95% of the $33 million construction cost for the park, according to a fact sheet, which accompanied the announcement. The foundation also provided funding for the park's design.

The unveiling of plans for the WOKA Whitewater Park coincides with the beginning of construction at the old spillway of Lake Frances on the Illinois River near Watts, Okla., according to a news release. WOKA is a combination of the words water, Oklahoma and Arkansas, according to the fact sheet.

Jeff Belk, the outdoor education teacher at Rogers High School, said he was excited about the park and more outdoor opportunities.

"This is incredible," he said. "This will be massive. You think it can't get any better and it just keeps getting better."

Belk said he has taken his students on trips to the Buffalo River, Elk River and War Eagle. The park could be a new destination, he said.

The park's main attraction will be an approximate 1,200-foot-long, 100-foot-wide side channel off the river with eight drop-features to provide wave action for kayakers, surfers and tubers of all skill levels, according to the release.

Additional amenities will include waterfront, shaded spectator seating, rental services, parking, trails, public restrooms, and course put in and take outs. The park is inside the reservation boundaries of the Cherokee Nation, according to the release.

The dam authority will oversee and manage the park. Construction is expected to be completed in 2023, according to the release.

"Surrounded by the Illinois River and the Ozark Mountains, WOKA perfectly defines the native beauty America's heartland has to offer," Jim Walton, with the foundation, said. "This national caliber park will preserve access to nature for generations and unlock economic opportunity by attracting visitors looking for unique outdoor experiences."

Siloam Springs operates a waterpark 8 miles upstream, which served as the inspiration for WOKA. The city deeded 17.25 acres to the dam authority from the Siloam Springs Water Resource Company and will further partner to reinforce the existing dam, which supplies water to Siloam Springs from upstream, according to the release.

"Protecting the city's water supply and enhancing conservation efforts makes this collaboration ideal for the city of Siloam Springs," said Mayor John Mark Turner. "We have experienced the success of drawing visitors to Siloam Springs with our kayak park. Locating a second whitewater park in the region will work in tandem and complement each other to leverage these attractions to the success of both."

Tim Conklin, assistant director with the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, said he agrees with Turner about the positive economic impact.

"The region continues to benefit from the significant investment in developing world-class amenities for current and future residents and attracting visitors from all over the country," Conklin said. "Today, the region is known nationally for the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Greenway, Crystal Bridges Museum, and the world-class mountain bike parks and natural surface trails."

Since March 2018, the dam authority has worked with the engineering firm McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group – A Division of Merrick & Company to design the park. Crossland Construction was selected as the builder, according to the release.

Elaine Carr, mayor of West Siloam Springs, Okla., said the park could have a major impact on her city in neighboring Delaware County. Watts is in Adair County.

"It's great news for Oklahoma and Arkansas," she said. "People will stop and that means sales tax goes up. That's a benefit for a small town."