The grants, part of last year’s Ohio House Bill 2, will support two key initiatives:
- $250,000 for the West Carrollton Whitewater Park Project to complete final design, engineering, permitting, and construction documentation.
- $1 million for the West Carrollton River District and Whitewater Park Project to fund construction, dam hazard mitigation, whitewater course development, utility relocation and infrastructure improvements.
“This $1.25 million state investment brings us closer to making the West Carrollton Whitewater Park a regional destination — boosting tourism, attracting new businesses and driving long-term economic growth for our community,” City Manager Amber Holloway told the Dayton Daily News.
The project will be adjacent to the city’s River District, which is planned to include dining and retail options, along with apartments, condominiums, a hotel and medical office space.
That district and its whitewater feature are projected to attract 105,000 visitors to the area each year, based upon a market study, Holloway told West Carrollton City Council during its June 10 meeting.
“That brings lots of economic opportunity from folks patronizing our businesses, opportunities to stand up other businesses, because we’re inviting people down to the river in a way that we’re not right now,” she said.
The grant money does not require local matching funds or payback, Holloway said.
Council voted unanimously to enter into grant agreements with ODNR.
The new funding will allow West Carrollton to finalize planning and move toward construction, helping enhance outdoor recreation and support economic growth along the riverfront, according to the resolutions approving the grant agreements.
Creation of the whitewater park is estimated to cost between $25 million and $30 million, Holloway said. That includes a river surfing and operations center, a recreation channel/flume, dam safety reconstruction efforts and final design and construction management, this news outlet previously reported.
The Whitewater Park project has been in development for several years. In 2022, the city secured an initial $250,000 in capital budget funding.
In 2023, U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, helped West Carrollton City Council secure $3 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Economic Development Initiative funding for final design, engineering, permitting, and development of construction drawings.
Preliminary design and engineering were completed in 2024 via $750,000 in funding from the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners.
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