Are you following the proposals for the downtown Richmond riverfront? There are plenty of things to like for outdoor enthusiasts, including some very impressive ideas for kayaking, biking, boating and more.

I have attended all three public forums and was also invited to participate as an individual to give input in the early planning stages. There were ideas on greenway connections, a sports complex at Chapel Island, boating at Mayo Island, but the best might be at Belle Isle:

The presentation began with proposals for the popular 65-acre wild island that is Belle Isle and progressed eastward as the James flows. Maybe the most surprising proposals of the forum came from Belle Isle, including creating a competitive whitewater kayaking run on the Southside rocks that could be managed by a “control bladder” on the existing ruins of the VEPCO dam at the western end of the island. Extreme sports at an estimated $4.1 million in improvments were the focus, with a mountain biking skills course, kayaking, hiking, climbing and rappelling all included.

See the full report at Richmond.com