The downtown Columbus riverfront could become a center for whitewater rafting and swimming.

That’s according to one proposal to improve the riverfront suggested last night at a public workshop on ways to make the river more appealing and to activate it as a tool for economic development.

Scott Shipley is a former Olympian, professional kayaker and now president of S2O Design, a Colorado company that turns rivers into whitewater rapids.

He said people in Columbus are looking for active and healthy outdoor recreation and the river can become a centerpiece.

He said there are about 70 whitewater parks around the country, and they are providing economic boosts for communities. He provided figures for whitewater parks in Golden, Vail and Breckenridge, Colo., Reno, Nev. and Charlotte, S.C. that showed big gains from tourism and the associated spending.

The parks can be designed to be used by beginners or experts, and are environmentally friendly, he said.

Shipley said that because the feature would be in the public waterway, it would be open to anyone who wanted to use it.

To create a whitewater park, the existing low-head dam would be replaced with a series of smaller breaks to allow the water to tumble.

Shipley’s suggestion was just a proposal and has not been adopted, endorsed or advanced by city officials.