Kayak Waterhub Coming Soon.

Rochester: Where you live.  Where you shop.  Where you dine.  Where you cycle.  Where you kayak?  Yes we do have a beautiful winding river that once powered mills in Pontiac, two in Rochester and still powers Yates Cider Mill.  Yes, this river is mostly navigable by kayak.  When I say mostly, I speak from experience as I have kayaked from Avon and Livernois to Ryan Road.  When the water is low there are some spots you must get out and walk.  When the water is high, it is best left for experienced kayakers.  Fallen trees are another hazard of the water.  As far as I know there is no government funded river clean up resource.  If you know of one, please let me know.  As far as I know, the river is mostly maintained by a company who rents kayaks on the Clinton River on a volunteer basis.  Why is this important?  In a river, especially one that has tight curves, the force of the moving water can push you into these fallen trees and even sweep you under, as was the case of the drowned kayaker this summer.  If the Clinton is to become a regular recreational waterway, a governing body must take responsibility and keep it clear of debris. 

As far as the waterhub (kayak lock up), this is a great Eagle Scout project, as the article indicates (http://www.candgnews.com/news/%E2%80%98waterhub%E2%80%99-be-added-under-clinton-river-bridge).  Per the Clinton River Watershed Council website, they are also looking to build a stairway to Main Street from ground level.  This would be a much better way to reach downtown than walking up the two one way alleys into town (http://www.crwc.org/updates/urban-design-services/). 

For this whole thing to come together many things have to happen around the same time.  The river needs to be kept clear, a staircase needs to be built to access Main Street and the river needs to reach commercial status to attract people to use it more.  It would be a great thing for the area.  The likelihood of people kayaking to town?  Not sure.  The likelihood of kayaking to Yates for donuts?  Absolutely!