Surfin' Cd'A: Wave generators to be installed in Lake Coeur d'Alene

COEUR d'ALENE — In an emergency meeting Monday, the City Council approved an ambitious $12.5 million project to install industrial wave generators in Lake Coeur d'Alene, creating what officials have dubbed the "North Idaho Surf Experience."

The initiative, passed by a narrow 4-3 vote during a late-night city council meeting, aims to transform the historically calm lake waters into a "premier inland surfing destination" with artificial waves reaching heights of up to 15 feet. 

The initiative specifically targets California tourists, with marketing materials already in development featuring slogans such as "Surf CDA: All the Waves, None of the Housing Prices" and "Bring Your Board, Not Your Politics." 

Critics have pointed out numerous flaws in the plan, including the lake's average summer temperature of 68 degrees — well below the comfortable surfing temperatures Californians are accustomed to.

The first wave generators are scheduled to begin installation next month, with the project's first phase concentrated east of Tubbs Hill. Engineers have assured officials that the generators can be programmed to create different wave patterns, including what project documents describe as "super mellow" and "totally gnarly." 

The project's timing has raised eyebrows, especially as the director of the newly formed Department of Urban Development Experimentation (DUDE), Sandy Birkenstock, recently secured a prime lakefront location for her new business, a surf shop and board rental facility currently under construction on Lakeshore Drive. 

When questioned about the potential conflict of interest, the director responded by saying,