Published: July 18, 2009 11:49 pm      

Area’s whitewater recreation to be featured on PBS series

Whitewater recreation on the rejuvenated Stonycreek River at Tire Hill will get additional exposure this fall on the PBS series “Greenlife Pennsylvania’’ airing on public TV stations statewide.

Television producer Kelly Donaldson said the river – which has recovered from acid-mine drainage to the point that fish now can live there – will be

featured in a segment in her

10-episode series. She is putting the series together for WVIA in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Donaldson will be at Greenhouse Park at 4 p.m. July 30 to interview Steve Podratsky, president of Benscreek Canoe Club, about the Stonycreek.

Afterward, she will film those out on the water.

“One of the things we are featuring in the show is reconnecting people to the great outdoors,’’ she said. “This was an exciting activity to reconnect people with our water resources. A lot of effort was made bringing this river back to life.’’

Donaldson said the series will cast a wide net, covering everything from bird banding to electric cars.

“It’s an attempt to show the diversity of green living,’’ she said Tuesday.

Being that she hasn’t filmed the local segment, Donaldson could not give a date as to when it would air. Greenlife Pennsylvania premieres Sept. 28 and will run for 10 consecutive weeks on public television.

Multiple topics will be covered in each episode, so the Greenhouse Park segment of the half-hour program might be five minutes or so.

The Stonycreek River features whitewater rapids at Greenhouse Park, created when tons of boulders were plopped into the waterway. Water releases from the Quemahoning Reservoir – designed to attract tourists during the height of summer vacation season – also are part of the fun.

“I think it’s fantastic,’’ Podratsky said of the filming.

“The more people who can see their 8-year-old son catch a wave and spread the word will bring business to the region.

“We’ve really had people driving in from elsewhere who wouldn’t otherwise come in.’’