PORT JERVIS – Recreational boaters will be hitting the Delaware River in a few weeks.
Although it won’t happen this summer, the prospect of a dedicated whitewater rafting area just downstream from the Mid-Delaware Bridge is still on track, according to Port Jervis Mayor Kelly Decker.
“Whitewater park is still in forward motion.”
Decker said during Monday night’s Common Council meeting that the latest development was a recent daylong meeting with Whitewater Park developers, along with environmental officials from New York and Pennsylvania and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“Most of it was looking for species that could be proven to be habitable in different locations and being able to move them,” the mayor said.
Decker previously said he would like to place the issue of creating the park before a referendum of city voters. Assuming it would be approved and built, the mayor said it could mean an economic landslide for Port Jervis in terms of large influxes of tourists, new businesses, restaurants and hotels.
Almost two years ago, Decker (center), other city officials, pitched the whitewater idea to
Sen. Charles Schumer (2nd from right)
