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A Vision for Paddling in Memphis
by Elmore Holmes
November, 2003
Daylight Savings Time has ended, and we're
settling in for the winter. The nights are long, and as I lie in
bed I have vivid dreams. I dream about a lot of things, but here
I'd like to share with you one particular vision. It's a dream of
an alternate reality--a "parallel universe," if you will. In this
universe my hometown, Memphis, is very much like the one in our own universe:
the Flyer comes out every Wednesday, Cap'n Pete plays the blues
on the radio on Friday evenings, Joe's Liquor Store has the coolest sign
in town, and Prince Mongo runs for mayor every four years. But this
Memphis differs from ours in some subtle ways.
People love the river
I dream of a community that embraces the majestic
river that flows at the city's doorstep--a community in which people regard
the Mississippi as a treasure to enjoy and care for, not a wasteland to
shun and degrade. |
Elmore's columns appear monthly at the
Outdoors, Inc.,website:
www.outdoorsinc.com |
This past month I participated in the local Sierra
Club's litter pick-up along Memphis Harbor. In my parallel universe,
such an event is not necessary, because everybody claims ownership
of the waterway and its banks, and keeps the area clean and inviting as
though it were his own front lawn. The government of this "alternate"
city of Memphis, working through contractors such as the Riverfront Development
Corporation, keeps the harbor free of barge wrecks and other industrial
debris, and has installed a screen system that captures litter that washes
toward the harbor through the storm drains. The city's wealthy citizens,
rather than invest all their "leisure" capital out of town in the form
of ski lodges and beachside homes, devote generous resources toward the
enrichment of the natural and cultural environment here at home.
Ordinary citizens follow the example set by
these public and private leaders. Members of the Memphis Yacht Club
and the Harbortown Marina are in the habit of plucking floating litter
near the docks, and residents of the Mud Island developments take responsibility
for the land all the way down to the water's edge, no matter what the water
level. Individuals and corporations who pollute the water are immediately
held accountable for cleanup costs. This attitude extends beyond
the downtown area, across the entire watershed: the Loosahatchie, the Wolf,
Cypress Creek, Nonconnah Creek… all are pristine and litter-free, thanks
to the conscientious spirit of the communities along their banks.
In my parallel universe, the river is a place
where everybody wants to be, and everybody is encouraged to be.
As in our own Memphis, the wealthy have their spacious homes with stunning
vistas of the mighty river. But public access to the water, in the
form of parks and boat ramps, is considered every bit as important and
given the same maintenance and respect. Citizens of all races and
income levels are welcome to use the harbor and the river for fishing and
boating, and they do so in harmony--even camaraderie--with one another.
People are active
Self magazine and Men's Journal
have painted a rather sickening picture of the Memphis we live in.
Both have ranked Memphis at the top of their lists of the world's unhealthiest
cities (Self in 2002, Men's Journal in 2003).
Not so in my parallel universe.
The people of this "alternate" Memphis are
active, and I don't just mean that they go to the gym for an hour each
day. They seek out exercise that engages all of their senses, and
that means many of them are out on the Mississippi River and its tributaries
in kayaks and canoes. Some of these paddlers are the competitive
type, entering regional races and always working to upgrade their skills
and make their boats go faster, but many others simply like the experience
of healthy activity in an outdoor setting. Many consider health and
fitness merely a fortunate byproduct of their passion for viewing wildlife
or enjoying beautiful days in the company of other river users.
In this "alternate" Memphis, the public boat
ramp beneath the Auction Avenue bridge becomes a gathering place each day
after 5 o'clock, when people arrive for their after-work paddling session.
Other paddlers choose to stir the placid waters of the early morning hours,
and those whose work schedules are more flexible can be seen on the river
at midday. Some of these Memphians might actually prefer the waters
of another region of the country--whitewater rivers in the mountains, for
instance, or the ocean surf--but they all realize the value of practicing
here at home and are out daily doing just that.
Users of the river are organized
Paddlers in "alternate Memphis" are visible
in the community, visiting schools, churches, and other organizations to
educate people about our wonderful local river system. Entertaining
rather than preachy, enthusiastic rather than didactic, Memphis paddlers
encourage the public to preserve their proud river city heritage with loving
stewardship of the mighty river.
The Memphis of my parallel universe contains
the same loose network of river-oriented organizations--the Bluff City
Canoe Club, the Blue Heron Club, the Wolf River Conservancy, the Memphis
Whitewater group. Each of these groups has its own focus, but they
all recognize that they are more alike than they are different. Members
of each group are encouraged to pursue a variety of paddling disciplines,
and most hold membership in more than one club. While these organizations
might have different schedules and agendas, they are ready to unite when
circumstances demand that they do so. All have a voice in public
policy regarding the river, and all are active in riverfront upkeep and
pollution control.
First and foremost, the members of these groups
are paddlers, and they demonstrate their passion for paddling by
example. Throughout the week they are all in their boats on local
waterways before heading their separate ways for the weekend.
Memphis is known across the land as the home of great paddling
In the Memphis of my parallel universe, the
passion of a handful of racing enthusiasts has developed into an impressive
program that offers athletic opportunities to people across the entire
city. With support from the Riverfront Development Corporation, corporate
sponsors, and the aforementioned paddling/riverkeeper organizations, these
tireless souls have built a boathouse, purchased a fleet of boats, and
introduced young athletes of all socioeconomic groups to canoe and kayak
racing. The highlight of the year, of course, is the Outdoors, Inc.,
Canoe and Kayak Race on the Mississippi at Memphis, in which local racers
defend their home water against top racers from all over the country.
And Memphis racers, traveling with their own van and trailer, are also
a presence at events across the Mid South each year: the Hatchie River
Canoe and Kayak Race at Bolivar; the Arkansas River Canoe and Kayak Race
at Little Rock; the Show-Me State Championships at Tecumseh, Missouri;
the Gator Chase on Bayou Des Allemands in Louisiana; and more. They
are a high-achieving group whose goal is to make Memphis a perennial presence
on the medal podium in all the different boat classes.
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Again, this parallel universe, this "alternate"
Memphis, is just a dream of mine. And there's nothing wrong with
having dreams. But is there any way we can move our own Memphis more
into coincidence with the Memphis of my dream?
Is this something I can do myself? Of
course not. I'm just a guy who works for a living and worries about
paying the bills and has too few hours in the day like most other people.
Many items of this dream, such as the community outreach and the racing
club, require specific programs with full-time directors. Getting
our city and business leaders on board is a whole job in itself, requiring
lots of time and savvy.
It's all too easy to throw up one's hands
and say, "It's too hard. It'll never happen." But I know
it can, because I see it happening in other cities that are no more impressive
or "Big Time" than Memphis. The technology and know-how to control
litter and contaminants in storm runoff has existed for decades, and it
should
be an integral part of the Riverfront Development Corporation's master
plan. Meanwhile, communities all over the U.S. have worked hard at
the grassroots level for urban paddling, with impressive results.
The following links are just several of many examples.
Austin, Texas: Austin is the home of the Texas Canoe Racing Organization,
which is devoted to promoting paddlesports statewide. Visit www.txcanoeracing.org
for more information.
Gainesville, Georgia: Here, local citizens have capitalized on the legacy
of the Olympic Games, which held the flatwater sprint canoe and kayak events
on Lake Lanier in 1996. Visit www.lckc.org.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: No way these folks are going to let their
awesome riverfront go to waste. The Three Rivers Rowing Club promotes
not just rowing, but also paddling, dragon boating, and more from their
boathouse at the headwaters of the Ohio. Visit www.threeriversrowing.org.
South Bend, Indiana: Most people don't think about northern Indiana
when they think of paddling excellence, but the greater South Bend area
has hosted both flatwater and whitewater canoe and kayak events, all the
way up to the international level, for at least two decades. Paddlesport
instruction is available as part of the parks and recreation program there.
Visit www.southbend.com/SportsRecreation.shtml
and www.168.143.158.244/parks/erace.htm
for information.
Even if the more ambitious features of my "alternate"
Memphis never come to pass, we can realize many of the smaller ones with
a consistent, daily effort on the part of all people great and small.
We simply need to put petty differences aside, and make up our minds to
participate in shaping the community that we want to live in.
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