Yorkville Whitewater Park named after Cline

The Yorkville, Illinois, City Council voted unanimously last month to name its newly opened whitewater bypass channel after the late Marge Cline, known as "River Mom" to her many paddling friends.

A paddlesports safety advocate for many years, Cline brought the American Canoe Association's instructor program to the Midwest and was herself a canoeing and kayaking instructor. By tirelessly promoting on-water safety education, Cline enabled countless paddlers to better enjoy the sport. Cline was in her late 60s when she passed away in 2007.

"As holds true in all other outdoor activities, improving one's skills leads to better enjoyment of the sport. And many paddlers, myself included, benefited from Marge's enthusiasm and dedication to learning the art of paddling a canoe or kayak," said Sigrid Pilgrim, director of the Illinois Paddling Council.

"By naming the whitewater course in Marge Cline's honor, it is a much deserved tribute to her lifelong mission to promote safety, education and instruction in paddlesport," Pilgrim said.

The Yorkville Whitewater Course, which replaced a dangerous headwater dam that claimed many lives over the years, is a unique facility in the Midwest and well suited for instructional classes, many of which are listed in the Silent Sports calendar starting this issue. For more information about the whitewater park, see "Recreation as the solution" by Jeff Long in the May issue.