Hotel Blog

Kayaking and the City – June 27, 2020

It’s about that time to be dusting off your canoes and kayaks that have been in storage over the winter months, and prepping for another fantastic paddling season on the many waterways scattered across our beautiful country.

In today's blog I am going to be focusing on the city of Welland, Ontario and the two great recreational waterways within the city. One offers some epic urban paddling while the other offers a bit more of a natural vibe. They are the well-known Welland Recreational Canal and the lesser-known Welland River. Both with multiple public launches that you can use free of charge. On the Welland Recreational Canal there are three places that you can safely launch your canoe or kayak. (Scuba Park, The Flat-Water Centre, and the Welland Community Boathouse.)

The first place (also the best place in my opinion) happens to be at Scuba Park located right behind the Best Western Plus Rose City Suites. I personally like this launch because you can go either way from the boat launch. You can paddle a short distance to the nearby old Train Bridge where you'll  not only experience the beautiful aging structure, but you'll get a get some really amazing views that the average visitor to the area doesn't get to see! Continuing along this route, you can paddle all the way to the world-class Flat-Water Centre where competitive water sport events are held each year.

If you were to go the other way from Scuba Park, you will cross paths (or in this case, water) with the water stage where weekly outdoor concerts are held in the summer months and the infamous Bridge 13! This is the bridge that has almost become a mascot of sorts for the city of Welland and seems to appear on many logos used by local restaurants and shops. Once the Sun sets for the night you can witness the changing colors of the lights that line bridge 13 making it a spectacle to be seen at night!

You can also launch your boat from the Welland Community Boathouse. A notable pro for this area is that there is a lot of dock space. A con might have to be that the parking lot is a bit further away from the dock and there is an incline going back to your vehicle.

The Welland Community Boathouse is moving from this location to behind the Best Western Hotel very soon, & it rents canoes and kayaks for an extremely reasonable price. So even if you do not have your own vessel with you on your visit to Welland, you can always rent a canoe, kayak, or SUP from May to September. Feel free to check out their website for official dates and times of operation.   https://www.welland.ca/localattractions/BoatRentals.asp

Check back in 2 weeks for one of my personal experiences on the Welland River – John; Guest Service Agent

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