You'll be able to rent a kayak at Seacliff Beach in Leamington soon enough.
Council has approved a pilot project that will allow Pelee Wings to rent out kayaks and paddle boards for some leisure fun this summer.
The municipality is testing the waters with the operation and is partnering with Pelee Wings until the season ends in mid-September.
The success of the rental operation will then be assessed and a potential fee could be added for future seasons.
An overview of Seacliff Beach in Leamington outlining the volleyball area and available space on the shoreline. (Photo courtesy Municipality of Leamington)
Deputy Mayor Hilda McDonald says the pilot project is in line with the other enhancements the municipality has made along with waterfront including new volleyball courts, walkways and the ongoing amphitheatre construction.
"The fact that you're offering more quality of life opportunities for the people that live here," says McDonald. "We've always had a beautiful waterfront, we started with the marina, it's just natural to keep on going and offer more to more people — that's basically what it is. Hopefully it'll be a win-win for all of us; for the Municipality and for Pelee Wings and obviously for the people using it. It's another great service to offer on the waterfront."
The regular meeting of council for the Municipality of Leamington held July 24, 2017. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
Councillor Bill Dunn says Pelee Wings has had a lot of success with its rental operation near Point Pelee National Park.
"It's an exciting new idea," says Dunn. "A lot of people want to do this type of kayaking. It's very busy down at the Point — we see a lot of activity down there, so it's a really nice to add to our waterfront. I think it's a great idea."
While Pelee Wings isn't being hit with a fee by the municipality during the pilot project, the operators does have to obtain general liability insurance.
Hours are expected to be limited to Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons.