Following the recent trend for urban waves parks, and due to open in June 2015, Rotterdam has unveiled plans to build a water-purifying wave pool on the Steigergracht Canal, close to the city’s retail centre.
Dubbed RiF010, and with a barrelling 5ft, 14-second wave, the site will create a surfing, kayaking and rafting hotspot at the centre of the Netherland’s second biggest city.
But the project has green as well as leisure benefits as the artificial wave will not only generate electricity and provide power to the site, but the wave making process will work to naturally purify the canal water.
Also on the site will be a terrace for spectators, a beach house with food and drink, and changing rooms and facilities. On the other side of the terrace you’ll be able to rent canoes and boats to explore the calmer canals which connect to the rest of the city.
Adding to the scheme’s green credentials, any profit from the site will be ploughed back into Rotterdam’s green initiatives as well as towards developing an independent energy-generating windmill on the site in coming years.
The Rotterdam wave will certainly better Munich’s unofficial and unpredictable static wave on the Eisbach artificial river on the edge of the English Garden park (see toytowngermany.com) not to mention the UK’s Severn Bore (severn-bore.co.uk).
A similar wave already exists at Dubai’s Wadi Wavepool (wadiadventure.ae) but don’t expect forget your winter wetsuit though – Rotterdam might soon have an Indonesian tube but it’s a long way from having the climate…
Not everyone’s a fan of surf parks though… See Active-Traveller Official silver surfer Alf Alderson’s piece HERE on the trend for UK surf parks.
