River Reminiscent: 1994

Determined to open the river up for recreation, Friends publishes the Unofficial Paddling Guide to the Chicago River and starts to take people canoeing so that they can experience the river’s magic and take action to help protect and restore it. This leads to the creation of Friends’ formal Paddling Program in 1995. Today, our immersive canoe programs provide an exciting way for people to connect with the river while contributing to its health. Nearly 1,000 paddlers, and 75 trained volunteer guides, participate in our paddling programs annually, helping remove litter and install to improve habitat and increase climate resiliency.

Paddling on the river is more than just a fun way to connect with nature—it’s also a powerful form of grassroots environmental advocacy. As paddlers encounter the river’s wildlife and experience the mental and physical benefits of being outdoors, many are inspired to become passionate river advocates with a deeper understanding of the river’s health and the urgent need for continual improvement of water quality standards.

In a December feature story about Friends’ paddling program and our trained canoe guides, the Chicago Tribune wrote: “The programming they lead is just as varied, including custom trips, team-building events for companies, planting native vegetation along the river’s edge, litter and trash cleanups, Halloween paddles and moonlight outings dreamed up by guides.”    

Learn more about Friends canoeing program and get involved. For customized paddles contact Annette Anderson aanderson@chicagoriver.org.