ACTION 8 UPDATE: Montgomery Whitewater hopes to reopen in March

Gates to Montgomery Whitewater are closed, Monday, September 14, 2026 – Photo from WAKA Action 8 News

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA) – Officials at Montgomery Whitewater say they hope to reopen the 120-acre outdoor recreation complex in March.

Montgomery Whitewater closed suddenly for the season earlier this month. At the same time, some Montgomery County Commissioners raised questions about its finances.

Today, the Montgomery County Community Cooperative District, which oversees the complex, held a meeting, which had been scheduled before Montgomery Whitewater closed.

Action 8 News was at that meeting and caught up with chairman Bobby Jon Drinkard about staff layoffs. He says the layoffs were normal for this time of year due to scaling back park operations.
The meeting was also a chance for the board members to discuss maintenance updates that needed to be addressed over the winter as well as new business model concepts that can help keep the park moving forward financially.

“We are stabilizing so we can reboot, revamp and relaunch,” Drinkard said. “Quite frankly, we were bleeding money and we weren’t making any money, okay. Taxpayers should not have to carry that on their backs. It’s time to fix it.”

While water activities have wound down for the winter in past years, this closure appears to involve all activities and events, even those that were previously announced. Those events included a Nature School that was scheduled for Saturdays through November, a fall guide school for those who wished to be trained to be rafting guides and ice skating sessions that have been held in the past.

Drinkard previously announced that some private events that were already on the schedule will still be held.

At a recent Montgomery County Commission meeting, three members said they have doubts about the $500,000 that has been included in this year’s budget to help fund the outdoor recreation complex. That number has not changed from last year’s budget, but in July of 2025, commissioners also approved $1 million to help cover operating expenses and existing bills.

Even so, the commission has kept a previously-approved $500,000 allotment for Montgomery Whitewater in the 2027 fiscal year budget.

The results of an audit of Montgomery Whitewater’s finances are expected to be finalized later this year.