Page 4 • Wednesday , June 16 , 2021 • The Hammonton Gazette
Could canoes , kayaks & paddleboats be rented at the lake ?
KAYAK , from Page 1 lack of personal watercraft on the lake has been a concern for some time .
“ I remember talk way back when the Canoe Club got built that it would be nice someday to see canoes or paddleboats on the lake again during the summer ,” Rodio said .
Hammonton resident Ocie Norman spoke about the benefits of being able to kayak on the lake .
“ It gives another opportunity for people to see the landscape from a different perspective . It also is great way to relax and exercise ,” Norman said .
Norman also noted a way for more residents to be able to take part in such activities .
“ Having a vendor in town would make it way more accessible for people to experience these benefits ,” Norman said .
Colleen Lockwood agreed with Norman .
“ Not everyone has access to kayaks . This would allow people who don ’ t have access to them to be able to use them . It ’ s a great family outing opportunity . Maybe they can offer fishing kayaks , because people love to fish the lake ,” Lockwood said . Councilman Steven Furgione , also of the Parks and Recreation Commission , said that the idea had been floated before .
“ A couple of years ago , we put it out for bid to bring a vendor in , and no one ever responded to the bid . They were going to rent canoes , kayaks , paddleboats , and no one even responded . We were trying to find a company who had all that stuff ... The easiest way to do it would be to bring in a vendor to oversee the whole thing : their boats , their kayaks , their paddleboats , and here ’ s the lake . Then we got nothing . Nothing ever materialized ,” Furgione said .
Rodio said that the prospect is not completely dead in the water , though .
“ It can be done , for sure , if there ’ s a company interested in coming there ... The company would have to be able to make a profit . I think it would be tough for the company just to make a living out there , to make it all work . You ’ re not going to have 15 or 20 people all of a sudden on boats out there . I would guess they would maybe do it on weekends .
During the week , I don ’ t know how much you would get from it , but it could definitely be looked into ,” Rodio said . Rodio did express some concerns regarding logistics , including “ insurance , which first comes to my mind .”
“ We ’ d have to do some research , and let ’ s see if it ’ s OK for the town to do something like that , number one ; insurance purposes , number two ; and then we go forward from there ,” Rodio said . Mayor Stephen DiDonato concurred .
“ With manning it and insurance , it may be — I don ’ t know what the volume would be , but I ’ d have no problem with that at all . If they can enjoy the lake , God bless them ,” DiDonato said .
Resident Kathryn Riley said that having such a vendor “ would be a wonderful idea .”
“ It would be nice to see some life on the lake again — and maybe some fishing and enjoying nature . I wouldn ’ t mind taking my kids to do some kayaking ,” Riley said .
Joe Thibault echoed Riley ’ s sentiments .
“ It creates another familyfriendly activity that utilizes our lake and park ,” Thibault said .
Leah Cirillo noted the opportunities having such a vendor would present for the community .
“ I think there are a lot of people in Hammonton who like to do things like that outdoors , so it would be cool to have something like that here . It would be good for the community , too , because — as far as I ’ m concerned — there ’ s not a ton of stuff to do that ’ s community-based here , so it would be
See PARKS , Page 20