Paddle After Hours - Downtown LA

Youth in Auburn Summer Camp to learn to paddle by day, all community members invited to join in after work

Lewiston-Auburn, Maine – As the 15^th Annual Source to Sea Trek, sponsored by the Androscoggin River Watershed Council (ARWC), makes its way to Merrymeeting Bay, it will make a brief layover this Thursday in downtown Lewiston-Auburn.  In partnership with the Great Falls Paddling Society, the canoe and kayak program of the Androscoggin Land Trust (ALT), two events are being offered to get local residents and visitors out on the Androscoggin River in the heart of Maine’s second largest urban area.

Beginning the morning of August 5^th, middle school-aged youth taking part in the City of Auburn’s Summer Camp program will be given an opportunity to learn to paddle a canoe in the section of the Androscoggin River between the Lewiston Falls Dam and Deer Rips Dam.  This section, offering relatively calm water, also parallels the City of Lewiston’s proposed Riverside Greenway Trail connecting Sunnyside Park to the David Rancourt River Preserve.  While the event is being coordinated by ALT and Auburn Parks and Recreation staff, it is being made possible through the generosity of Jeff Parsons, owner of Bethel Outdoor Adventure.  Bethel Outdoor Adventure is donating the use of canoes and other gear for the youth as part of its support of getting youth and communities reconnected to the Androscoggin River.

“Right here, in our own backyard, is this amazing recreation resource in the Androscoggin River,” says ALT Executive Director Jonathan P. LaBonte, “if we can grow its use by starting with youth, the next generation will have a stronger sense of ownership of what this can mean to the community.  We are excited to be working with Bethel Outdoor Adventure and the City of Auburn on what will hopefully be the start of a long-term relationship.”

When the business day comes to an end, ARWC and ALT invite paddling enthusiasts to meet them behind Festival Plaza in downtown Auburn with their boats for the first of what will become many Paddle After Hours events.  While the paddling distance is relatively short, a round-trip along the shores in this section offers an unique experience of the industrial revolution landscape of Lewiston-Auburn.  ALT staff and volunteers will lead a guided paddle and share the stories of how an area of the Androscoggin, once dominated by salmon runs and Native American activity, transitioned to a national powerhouse in textiles and shoes through the harnessing of the Androscoggin River and its canals.

With its continued focus on connecting the history of the landscape to land conservation and trails, ALT and its LA Trails program will soon be moving their offices to the riverfront in downtown Auburn in what has become known as the “Gritty’s Block.”  In a welcoming gesture to ALT and those paddling after hours, Gritty’s will be providing complimentary appetizers after the river trip.

“As everyone knows, water is a key ingredient in making beer. It’s also a key ingredient in making a successful brewpub and a community!” states Thomas Wilson, Marketing Director for Gritty’s.  “Gritty’s L/A Brew Pub, located on the bank of the mighty Androscoggin River welcomes the Androscoggin Land Trust to their new offices in our building and we look forward to doing more together to protect and promote the Androscoggin River.”

For those interested in paddling, but without canoes, Bethel Outdoor Adventure has offered to equip paddlers, up to 18 total, on a first come first served basis.  In lieu of a rental fee, Bethel Outdoor Adventure is asking each paddler to make a donation directly to ALT when calling to reserve, with proceeds helping the organization to advance its mission.

For those seeking more information or to request access to a canoe, calls can be made to the Androscoggin Land Trust at 207-782-2302.  On-line registrations for the Paddle After Hours are requested and can be done at http://androscogginwatershed.org/trekform.html or by calling the Androscoggin River Watershed Council at 207-754-8158

Event Details:

Thursday August 5^th – 10 AM and 1 PM

Event available only to youth in Auburn Summer Camp

Auburn Summer Camp Youth Learn to Paddle

North River Road Boat Access (off Center Street-Route 4)

Auburn, Maine

Thursday August 5^th  – 5:30 PM

Event Open to the Public

Paddle After Hours

Boat Access behind Festival Plaza, Main Street

Auburn, Maine

Street Parking Available, short hand-carry distance required

Light Appetizers will be available after the paddle, compliments of Gritty L/A Brew Pub