Putting the “water” back in Waterville
Local school renting out kayaks over the summer
In order to take advantage of the “Aquaticook” recreational boating corridor inaugurated last year on the Coaticook River, the Collège Françoisdelaplace in Waterville has launched a new project to rent out kayaks to the general population. Already in operation for a week prior to its official launch on Wednesday, the student-run business offers access to 30 boats, either for rental by the hour or in the form of a season-long pass.
According to André Ricard, Principal of the Collège François-delaplace, the idea for the new project was born out of the press conference to inaugurate a new boat launch as a part of the Aquaticook network last year.
“At the end of the conference I was talking with Natalie and said, ‘this is a great boat-launch, but it is missing kayaks.’” Ricard recalled, explaining that although it started out as a passing comment, it was not much later that there was a team working on that very idea.
The principal explained that the idea was heartily welcomed by the community and has received support from a number of local organizations and municipalities. He also stressed the affordability of the program, pointing out
that a 1 hour rental is $15 and a full season pass is $45.
“From a regional and tourism point of view, this rental service has greatly improved the offering of the Aquaticook circuit,” said Coaticook MRC Prefect Jacques Madore. “This is an excellent way to discover our region from a whole new angle.”
Although the focus of Wednesday’s launch was on the benefit to the public, Ricard pointed out that the new resource will also be a boon to the school, who will be able to use the boats during the academic year, and who will take on the management of the business as an entrepreneurial initiative.
“We will use them in our physical education classes,” the principal said. “In the evening our students will put down their ipads and laptops to go explore nature.”
The kayak rental program was set up with the help of $20,000 from the MRC, $5,000 from the Caisse Desjardins des Verts-sommets, and $3,000 from each of the Tillotson Fund, the Town of Waterville, and the College itself. According to the school’s principal, all money raised by the new business will be reinvested in the purchasing and maintenance of boating equipment.
Boat rentals are available behind the Collège François-delaplace building in Waterville from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily until the 26th of August. No boats will be rented out after 5 p.m.