Our best wishes go out to the folks at Outdoor Chattanooga and their OutVenture Team. Please read on, and if at all possible, let’s help these folks get back on their feet. 

This story comes courtesy of NewsChannel 9 in Chattanooga, TN:  

OutVenture Programs to Continue in Spite of Fire 

An early Saturday morning fire that destroyed the “Red Barn” at the Greenway Farm in Hixson and a large portion of Outdoor Chattanooga’s OutVenture kayak fleet will not stop spring and summer kayaking programs, according to OutVenture director Marcus Hulsey.

Lost in the fire were 20 sea kayaks, five recreational kayaks, six recently-purchased Jackson whitewater kayaks, a heavy duty kayak trailer, paddles and related gear, and a cache of trail building equipment that was donated by the Outdoor Industry Association last year.

“We use a lot of the gear for multiple programs and losing something as big as a trailer affects our programming as a whole.” says Hulsey.

OutVenture uses the kayaks, trailer, and gear for kids’ summer camps, free, public kayak events at local parks, and guided kayak trips throughout the Tennessee River watershed, including several river gorge overnight trips scheduled beginning in mid-May.

“We are especially glad no one was injured in the fire, and we can recover from this blow,” adds Hulsey. “The community has already begun to rally around us and we’re moving forward with our busy spring and upcoming summer schedule.”

Hulsey is in the process of gathering loaner equipment so OutVenture programs can continue as planned, but these measures will only be temporary.

“We have already received phone calls from various outfitters, retailers, and other Chattanooga outdoor organizations, offering loans of equipment to keep our programs running,” says Outdoor Chattanooga Executive Director Philip Grymes.

Hulsey, Grymes, and their staff are already working on soliciting permanent donations.

“It’s very important that we keep our kayaking programs going.” says Grymes. “They are a vital part of our mission to get people outdoors and active.”

“We are sad about the loss of the barn and what it meant to our programs,” adds Hulsey. “The barn is a Greenway Farm icon.”

In addition to OutVenture gear, the Red Barn also housed other agencies’ equipment and a host of antique toys, games and farm equipment used by the Greenway Farm volunteer community gardens coordinator Pete Snider. “Some of the stuff that was lost cannot be replaced,” says Snider. “The games and memorabilia I’ve collected over the years were priceless.”

Organizations or individuals who are interested in making donations of money or equipment to help with OutVenture and Outdoor Chattanooga programs this summer may call OutVenture director Marcus Hulsey at (423) 842-6629.

Do you live in or near Pittsburgh, PA or in Southwestern Pennsylvania? Even if you don’t live that close to Pittsburgh, you may want to take a trip there to check out Kayak Pittsburgh.

Kayak Pittsburgh officially opens its season on May 2. The season extends through the summer and early fall, ending in October. At Kayak Pittsburgh you can rent a flat water kayak for an hour, a couple of hours or all day long. And on May 2nd, they are offering an hour of kayaking free.

Even on days when kayaking isn’t free, the prices for kayak rental are extremely reasonable. And if you’re a member of Venture Outdoors, you are eligible for a discounted rate.

But its not just about flat water kayaks, these folks want to get you out on the water in any kind of boat that makes you happy. So they also rent out canoes, rowboats, tandem (2-person) kayaks, and hydrobikes!

So where can you kayak in downtown Pittsburg, Pennsylvania?

Beginners and experienced paddlers who want a completely flat water experience, come up to North Park and relax as you paddle the North Park lake. For kayakers who want a river experience head over to the North Shore, under the Clemente Bridge, and see the Pittsburgh skyline like never before. Paddle upstream to Washington’s Landing and keep a lookout for Great Blue Herons in the back channel.

Kayak Pittsburgh has two convenient locations:

Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown is within easy walking distance of all downtown locations and the North Side. To get to the rental shop, cross over the Roberto Clemente Bridge and take the staircase on the left (nearest PNC Park) down to the waterfront walkway. Turn left and head directly underneath the bridge. There at Kayak Pittsburgh the friendly and helpful staff will get you ready to head out on the water.

Kayak Pittsburgh North can be found at the North Park Boathouse along North Park Lake, which is about 14 miles from Pittsburgh. Head up Route 19 from Pittsburgh, turn right/East onto Ingomar Road/Yellow Belt, left at Babcock Boulevard, and left at Pierce Mill Road. The Boathouse is an elegant stone building you can’t miss!

For more information, including hours, rates and group rates, what to wear, and more FAQs, check out the Kayak Pittsburgh web site.

Kayak Pittsburgh is a project of Venture Outdoors, a local not-for-profit organization dedicated to making the outdoor recreation community a vibrant centerpiece of the Pittsburgh, PA area. Their mission is to transform the Pittsburgh region where the outdoor life is central to the culture.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, kayaking is a great family sport. It is a fun way to spend time in the sunshine and on the water together. Even if you’ve never been in a kayak or canoe before, you should give it a try. Flat water boats are very stable, and PFDs (life-jackets) provide flotation security if you should end up in the water.

When the BornToPaddle.com team is out on the water, we love to see families enjoying kayaking. So, when we discover organizations like Kayak Pittsburgh, we get all warm and fuzzy inside! This is a great opportunity for anyone living in or near Pittsburgh, but also a great thing for anyone visiting the area or looking for a great vacation spot.

Do you have a favorite paddling spot? Does your city, town or state have a similar organization that promotes paddling as a family sport and environmental awareness? Please let us know! Click here to send us a message with all the information. We’ll post it on our Places to Paddle page, and blog all about it right here!

Also, check out our Specials for Paddlers page. We’ve just added some hot off the press deals for kayaking gear, packages and more.

Looking for a place to paddle? Browse our Places to Paddle page, or our Kayak & Canoe Adventure Travel & Trip page, and our Whitewater Parks page.