TO: The City of Raleigh

SUBJECT: Neuse River Whitewater Improvements

The Carolina Canoe Club (CCC) is a North Carolina- based paddling organization, with over

1000 members throughout the country. The CCC strives to carry out the objectives set forth by

its founders, including the teaching and upholding of the highest standards of river safety, skill,

and environmental ethics.

The CCC Board of Directors, on behalf of the Club's membership, supports the present initiative to

develop a portion of the Neuse River in the area adjacent to and below the existing Falls of the

Neuse Road bridge into a whitewater park. We refer specifically to the document titled

'Conceptual Plan and Cost Estimate - Neuse River Whitewater Improvements' (prepared by

Recreation Engineering and Planning - May, 2003). This document includes a number of features

we feel that any facility of this kind should incorporate, including in-river and adjacent area

enhancements intended to make the Park an attractive destination for paddlers as well as for

residents of the surrounding communities. A facility such as the one proposed would allow for

multiple uses of the river and adjacent banks including paddling and paddling instruction, swift-

water rescue training, attractive 'green' space for residents and a way to attract new adherents to

the paddling sports.

We feel that if the Park is designed utilizing at least the concepts outlined in the May 2003

planning document cited above, the City of Raleigh would have a resource that would be useable

during low to moderate flows, would be long enough to allow for slalom and other organized

whitewater events to be held, and could be used for educating those new to paddlesports and

other visitors to the Park.

We look forward to development of this Park and anticipate that it will prove to be a great benefit

to paddlers and non-paddlers alike, and an asset to the City of Raleigh.

Thank you for your consideration.

John Zadrozny

President - Carolina Canoe Club