Paddle sports — canoeing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and rowing — are extremely popular in the Northwest; still Vancouver’s leaders have not seen fit to make the crown jewel lake of the city accessible to these enthusiasts.
To access the lake, one must slog across vast expanses of lawn and then difficult sand to launch at Vancouver Lake Park, join the rowing club with that expense, or use the remote La Framboise Road that is desolate and known for car break-ins and often muddy launches.
On a recent weekday morning I visited Lacamas Lake (with wonderful launch points) and saw at least 50 paddlers enjoying the lake. I went immediately to Vancouver Lake and not one person was on the lake.
We were in Bend, Ore., recently, enjoying their new waterfront access points with over 1,000 people using them. This shows that if the city is forward thinking, people will come, they will bring money and increase the enjoyment of Vancouver’s unique assets.
City leaders, wake up. You are missing an valuable opportunity — build a secure, drive-up launch point.
