New accessible dock launches at Thunder Bay’s Boulevard Lake

Today we are doing a formal grand opening of the accessible paddleboard and paddling club boat launch. And I'm really happy to be here and be a part of this. How important is it to have something like this for Thunder Bay? It's extremely important. I had a personal accident in 2016 and I had to quit kayaking, canoeing. A year ago, my recreational therapist wanted to get me back into the canoe and kayak because that was one of my goals. And we just couldn't find a safe alternative way to have that happen. So it's just extremely important for people with mobility devices as well as just seniors or families to be able to have a dock like this. Most people are pretty shocked because they're used to not having anything here other than one rickety ramp. So they're shocked and pretty pleased. And the people who have had difficulty in the past getting into their kayaks now have a kayak launch that makes it so easy for them to get in and paddle. And what would you say to someone who's nervous about getting in a kayak or a little intimidated if they saw this? What would you say to them if they want to try it out? I would say that we have staff that are here that will help in every aspect. They'll help you choose the right boat, they will help you get into the water. Safety is our first and foremost concern, so we make sure that everything, that all the safety equipment that they need, we assist them to get in the water. So we try to make it a really positive, good experience for them.