GREENVILLE – Earlier this year, the Darke County Park District was fortunate to receive boating safety education grant funds from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Watercraft. These funds, a portion of the total amount of nearly $250,000 awarded to 13 communities, was used to purchase updated kayaks, a new boat trailer and safety equipment. This equipment allows the park district to continue offering ACA-certified workshops on kayaking skills and safety to ensure local residents are safe while exploring Ohio’s waterways.
“I’m excited to get the Darke County community in some updated equipment and offering additional workshops to help develop important safety and paddling skills for many seasons to come,” Chief Naturalist Robb Clifford said. “Our older kayaks have been through the works after 12 years of use, and many were starting to show their age. These new boats have an updated design and provide an excellent paddling experience,” Clifford concluded.
As the paddling season draws to a close for 2019, rest assured 2020 will present more paddling opportunities. Several of the 2019 planned floats and workshops were not able to take place as planned due to high water through much of the spring and early summer. “We are excited about these new boats and looking forward to next season,” added Clifford. To keep up with the program offerings of Darke County Parks, be sure to follow them on Facebook and also visit their website at www.darkecountyparks.org and sign up for the quarterly newsletter, Nature Notes, which lists all upcoming programs.
To contact the Darke County Park District regarding upcoming paddling programs, visit darkecountyparks.org or contact the park offices at (937) 548-0165.
