Haverhill hopeful for summer river kayaking
By Mike LaBell a
mlabella@eagletribune.com
HAVERHILL — Looking ahead to this summer — and hopefully beyond the coronavirus — the mayor wants to offer residents a new way to enjoy the Merrimack River — and he has a plan to do so.
The same organization that made a four-day trip down the river last year is poised to bring kayaking to downtown Haverhill, should the idea move forward.
Mayor James Fiorentini gained the approval of the City Council to use $9,000 from a reserve account to buy a portable booth that would serve as a minioffice for Plum Island Kayak.
The business would use this as a satellite location along the downtown boardwalk next to Riverfront Park off Washington Street.
“Kayaking has been growing each year,” said Ken Taylor, owner of Plum Island Kayak. “The river is really an untapped resource for Haverhill, where there is hardly any use of the river at all.”
He said he would rent kayaks to customers and provide them with information as to where to travel on the river and how to time their trip in regards to tide changes.
“We can also provide guided tours, where we have it all planned out including transportation,” he said. “Once we get over the virus, people are going to be looking for something to do.”
It is expected to take about 10 weeks of lead time to get the project ready for summer, the mayor said.
“I am sensitive to the timing of this request during the ongoing coronavirus public health emergency, but the schedule of construction and delivery of the structure cannot wait if want to be ready by summer,” Fiorentini said. “Given the social isolation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the chance to provide the public with fun, healthy, outdoors activities on the river once this public health crisis is over has the potential to be a great remedy.”
Dougan Sherwood, president and CEO of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, said Plum Island Kayak supported a four-day long, 117 mile kayaking trip last August down the Merrimack River, from Franklin, New Hampshire, to Plum Island. Sherwood was one of about 10 area people who took the trip, including NECC President Lane Glenn and state Sen. Diana Dizoglio, D-Methuen.
“Plum Island Kayak donated all of the kayaks, paddles, life jackets and more that were used on the trip. We could not have done this trip without them,” Sherwood said.
“After paddling the entire river, it became clear to me that Haverhill would be a great place for Plum Island Kayak to set up a second location” The mayor noted the full cost of the kayak booth is $16,000, but that the city has leftover grant funds it can use to cover the remaining balance. The mobile booth could also be moved and used during the off season for community events in other parts of the downtown, such as the Christmas Stroll, he said.
“In keeping with our vision to increase public access to the Merrimack River and riverfront, we have an agreement for Plum Island Kayak to lease the booth as a place to manage kayak rental operations, conduct sales and secure their equipment,” the mayor said, adding that the kayaks would be kept in the water or stored on the city’s Capt. Red Slavit Dock behind the Tap restaurant.
“If all goes according to plan, we hope to have Plum Island Kayak operating in future years from a permanent downtown storefront, similar to their Newburyport location near Michael’s Harborside restaurant.”
The mayor acknowledged the work and support of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, in particular Sherwood, and the city’s Harbor Commission in putting together the agreement with Plum Island Kayak.
A group of area people led by NECC President Lane Glenn, chair of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, gather on the Capt. Red Slavit Dock behind the Tap restaurant after a four day kayak trip down the Merrimack River in August of 2019.
Courtesy photo
