CANTON -- A meeting to begin the conversation on potential whitewater recreation and other recreational features along the Grasse River, and the impacts of such projects, is set for 5:30 p.m. May 12 in the Grasse River Heritage Community Room at One Rushton Place, Main Street.

A whitewater play park was included in the Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan developed by the Town and Village of Canton in 2010, under the goal to "establish a Blueway Trail between Morley and Pyrites and develop and improve other water-dependent recreational opportunities."

A consultant from Boulder, Colorado company Recreation Engineering and Planning will spend the day before in Canton visiting four sites identified as potential recreational areas. REP has been involved in 80 per cent of the white water parks across the US and Canada and conceived both the preliminary and master plans for river access and whitewater improvements in the Watertown section of the Black River in 2006.

The one-day visit will be the first step in learning whether or not a whitewater feature on the Grasse is possible and the general positive and negative impacts of pursuing the venture.

General findings and information gathered from their previous work across the country will be presented.

To view the Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan, visit www.cantonnewyork.us.

To learn more about Recreation Engineering and Planning and white water parks, visit www.wwparks.com.

For more information on this project or the community meeting please contact Baylor Johnson, 229-5663.