Welcome to my page about The
    United States National Whitewater
    Center!   
    Anything to do with the United States National
    Whitewater center (USNWC) can be found here!
    I set up this website to dispel some of the myths
    surrounding the Whitewater Center and also to
    give the public a unique look at the USNWC. The
    reason I say “unique” is because my association
    with the Whitewater Center is quite unique.
    Click here to see why

    When talking with locals about the National
    Whitewater Center I often hear something along
    the lines of. “Oh I hear they are not doing well” or
    “They are losing lots of money” or “That place is
    costing taxpayers money”
     However my experience is when asked most
    people don’t understand what the situation really
    is. They just remember reading a newspaper
    headline or hearing something on the news saying
    the Whitewater Center is costing taxpayers
    money. So I decided to show people what is
    really going on and why.  
What is all the hype about the Whitewater Center costing tax payers money?
Four years ago all six governmental units voted unanimously (except Belmont which had one no vote) to pay $1.7 million annually for
seven years in exchange for providing park and recreation services. The USNWC agreed to waive those payments if their revenue
exceeded expenses. The Whitewater center informed the governments in May 2007 that projections indicated they would not be in the
position to waive those payments.
The media went wild with this. The Charlotte Observer led the way with a front page story on May 10th 2007 titled. Whitewater
churning red .
Again in August the Whitewater Center made the same announcement and the Charlotte Business Journal put out a story titled No free
pass for Whitewater
Most recently on November 12th 2007 the USNWC announced for the third time in public session at a Charlotte city council meeting
that they would need to utilize the government funds. Some media outlets treated this as ‘breaking’ news, even though it was made public
seven months ago.

Why did the Whitewater Center need to use government funds?
The Whitewater center got off to a rocky start, which has had a major negative impact. There were some unanticipated expenses that
followed inspections, but the single biggest reason that the USNWC lost money was because they did not open on time.
The Whitewater center opened November 2006 way behind the June 15th 2006 scheduled opening.
And when the USNWC finally did open, it was under less than ideal circumstances.
Because of the late opening the Center missed out on all the lost revenue from the summer months. Instead, it opened in November
during a time when you don't typically expect to get too many people lining up to raft.

Why did the USNWC not open on time?
The battle over Hawfield Road prevented the Center from opening on time.  
There have been demands for a million dollars, a hearing before a judge and a few things said in the heat of the moment that have led to
some hard feelings among some of the folks involved in this mess. But there have been other incidents, including gunshots in the woods
and angry words and objects hurled at visitors attempting to reach the center.
A large amount of time and resources were drained fighting for access with the neighbors along Hawfield Road.  Some of the neighbors
along Hawfield maintained the narrow dirt road leading back to a pumping station was private property. However in 1976 they granted
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities the right to use Hawfield Road in order to access a sewage pump station.

The Hawfield road timeline is as follows:  
February 2005- Asst. Charlotte City Attorney Catherine Williamson sends the USNWC an e-mail saying she believes Hawfield Road is
public property and okay for construction crews to use.

March 2005- Trucks begin using Hawfield Road as the only entrance to the USNWC

Spring/Summer 2005- Neighbors along Hawfield Road host a series of meetings with the USNWC complaining of construction traffic
and claiming the road is private.

March 2006- The USNWC asks Mecklenburg County Commissioners to allow construction of a second entrance on nearby Charlie
Hipp Road. Homeowners on Charlie Hipp Road protest and the USNWC withdraws its request.

April 2006- Hawfield Road neighbors begin consulting with attorneys, attempting to bring legal action against the USNWC for using
Hawfield Road

May 2006- Hawfield Road neighbors ask for a $1,000,000 settlement from the USNWC to use Hawfield Road. The USNWC offers
to pay $8,500 to use the road for 60 days. The neighbors then ask for $12,000 for the first month and $15,000 each additional month
for the use of Hawfield Road. Neighbors say they later withdrew that offer because they feared opening the road would allow unlimited
use for all construction crews, including workers who might build a subdivision of homes planned for the area.

May 23, 2006- Hawfield Road neighbors install a metal gate, preparing to block construction traffic from using Hawfield Road.

May 30, 2006- Hawfield Road neighbors close the metal gate and set up chairs, blocking all construction trucks from entering the
worksite. All construction stops at the USNWC.

May 31, 2006- Charlotte’s Senior Deputy City Attorney Mike Boyd tells the USNWC that he believes the gravel portion of Hawfield
Road is private, reversing the February 2005 memo from Asst. City Attorney Catherine Williamson.

The USNWC was using Hawfield Road under the presumption it was public, now the neighbors block the road and the Senior Deputy
City Attorney says the gravel portion is private.
That is what caused the USNWC to delay opening. The battles over Hawfield Road drained a lot of time and resources that otherwise
could have been directed at opening the Center.     

The cantankerous neighbors most recently in February, 2008 made a last stand. They allowed visitors to the Center to pass through, but
blocked construction crews building the new parkway. Once the new parkway is built Hawfield road will be closed and the neighbors
can have their road back. The neighbors contend the construction crews can use an entrance on Belmeade road which will be the
entrance to the parkway when it is completed.
Crosland is the construction building the parkway. Crosland spokesman Bill Norton said the company can continue construction using
only one entrance, but it will be dramatically slower because they can’t work both ends of the road. “The longer it takes,” Norton said
“the longer they have traffic on Hawfield”
The neighbors wanted Crosland to pay four families $1,500 each for a permit to use the road. The court ruled against the neighbors
based on the prior contract signed by the neighbors and Crosland is permitted to use the road.

Something to consider
Even if the six governments end up paying the full $12 million pledged, That's one heck of a deal any way you look at it.  The public uses
it, the public owns it, parking costs $5.00 per car or $35.00 for a year pass and there is no charge to traverse the 11 miles of
biking/walking trails set on 300 acres.  
Contact
John Latecki Jr
john@fightingms.org
330-347-6109
If you have not been to the Official USNWC
website you need to check it out!
Going Rafting
Watch your friends run the rapids while enjoying a beer on the patio
View from near big drop
updated May , 5 2008  
check out the flips page