Paddle Share Program Announced For Mississippi River
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A "paddle share" program appears to be coming to the Mississippi River later this month.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board announced a Nice Ride-for-kayaks program Thursday, saying that it's made possible through agreements between the parks board, the National Park Service and the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization.
The program would allow users to reserve and rent kayaks to use along a stretch of the Mississippi River north of Minneapolis. The first two kayak stations will be at North Mississippi Regional Park and the MWMO Stormwater Park and Learning Center. More stations are expected to be added later, along the 72-mile Mississippi corridor.
Users of the program will reserve kayaks online at www.paddleshare.org. There, users will have to watch a safety video, sign a waiver and pay $30 for a four-hour reservation. After payment, users will get a rental code to unlock a kayak at one of the of paddle share stations.
According to the parks board, funding for the program is made possible through a $175,000 grant from the National Park Service's Transportation Program and $40,000 from the outdoor retailer REI.