Paddle 101

Paddle 101

Saturday, August 17, 2024

First session: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Second session: 12 – 2 p.m.

Park #571 - Eleanor Street Boathouse

2828 S. Eleanor St., Chicago, IL 60608

FREE

Register HERE

This event is geared towards local residents surrounding the park from the Pilsen, McKinley Park, and Bridgeport communities.

 

Join us on this beginner-friendly canoe trip to help everyone feel welcome and comfortable with enjoying paddling our rivers. And learn about Friends' work to install native plants along riverbanks to create healthy homes for animals, stabilize river shorelinse, and protect the river from the impacts of climate change. Or join us across the river this morning instead for a Community Cleanup at Canal Origins Park!

The Chicago-Calumet River system is a natural treasure providing habitat to over 70 species of fish, turtles, birds and lot of other wildlife. It also is a place where people can enjoy the benefits of being outside, get exercise and meet new people in their communities. As part of Friends' continuing efforts to make the river accessible to everyone, we are hosting Paddle 101’s to encourage new people to enjoy the river, teach basic paddling skills and offer safety monitoring while people enjoy learning to paddle. 

No paddling experience necessary. Friends’ trusty canoe guides will help everyone safely load in and out of the canoes, answer questions about the river along the way and act as safety monitors on the water. We provide all equipment, paddling instruction, and safety talk. We recommend paddlers are at least 10 years old and all minors paddle with a guardian. The trip starts and ends from the same location, rain or shine! Space is limited, registration required.