Friends of the Rivers, Inc. (FOR) Announces Canal Boat to Return to the Fort Wayne Rivers
(March 23, 2017) – Friends of the Rivers (FOR), a grassroots, 501c3, nonprofit organization today announced a new river amenity. FOR is dedicated to enhancing the community’s appreciation, experience and use of the rivers, and will provide river cruises aboard its 54-foot canal boat this summer.
This is FOR’s first step in making the rivers more accessible to the community. The 1840’s style, flatbottom boat will allow individuals to experience the rivers and the potential they offer for development, recreation, and educational programming.
The FOR Board of Directors are working with area schools and students to identify potential names for the boat. Students will vote on five pre-selected names to determine their favorite 3 names. Once those names have been identified, the community will have the opportunity to vote on its favorite name which will be emblazoned on the stern (back) of the boat.
The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne Strategic Initiatives Fund provided funding for the canal boat which was built by Scarano Boat Building of Albany, New York.
The AWS Foundation provided funding to configure the interior to ensure accessibility for all individuals. The boat, which features seating for forty individuals, can be configured to accommodate individuals with disabilities and for small private group events.
The canal boat is expected to be available on the rivers by early June 2017 in partnership with the Outfitters. They will schedule and operate the boat under a management agreement with Friends of the Rivers, Inc.
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