Jefferson County Park Commissioners are excited to bring accessibility to their lake at Friendship Park in Steubenville, Ohio. Friendship Park is a 1320-acre park located right outside the Village of Smithfield. The park has camping, boating, and fishing facilities, and is a popular spot for bird watching, biking, horseback riding, and other outdoor activities.
“We are excited to add this amenity to the park and make the lake more accessible,” said Judy Henthorn, Park Commissioner. “We are already seeing an increase in park attendance from this addition and are pleased the county commissioners saw the importance and potential of this project and helped provide the funding to make it possible.” The new amenity also aligns with their goal of creating more inclusive recreational outlets for people in Jefferson County.
The 89-acre lake provides fishing for bass, bluegill, carp, trout, and catfish. An additional 5 small lakes surround the main lake and camping areas. Nature lovers can enjoy the serene location and its numerous activities.
Adding to the park’s recreational amenities is a BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch that offers people of all abilities an opportunity to get out on the water to paddle and fish.
The universal access launch offers paddlers and fishermen safe and easy access to their vessels when entering and exiting their kayaks and canoes.
Jennifer Simms, Friendship Park’s Paddle Sports Program Coordinator, explained, “It was important to have something adaptive for people with physical limitations. I’m excited about the support from the commissioners and community that made it happen.” Simms saw BoardSafe’s Adaptive Kayak Launch “as an opportunity to introduce the residents of Jefferson County and the surrounding area to the beauty of Friendship Park. She and those in support of the launch understand the importance of including everyone, especially those with mobility limitations.
The scope of the project included:
- (2) 8×16 floating docks.
- (2) 16 ft. kayak launches.
- (1) adaptive kit for adaptive access.
- (1) 20 ft. gangway and chute.
- Bulkhead mounting angle.
- (2) 2’6” x 2’6” x 5’0” precast foundation blocks.
The town announced a ribbon-cutting ceremony to promote its new universal access launch system for Saturday, May 18th. They’re already working on a schedule of future events to be held at the park. The ribbon-cutting ceremony looks like it will be an amazing day of fun activities for the community and includes:
- the ribbon-cutting ceremony beginning at 11 a.m., with festivities through 2 p.m.
- the Coast Guard Flotilla 082-07-02 that will be available from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for complementary vessel inspections, with a safety class beginning at 10 a.m.
- food provided by Crossroads Christian Church Wintersville, and the Ice Cream Island food truck will be on-site.
- a chance for Park patrons to purchase tickets for $10 each for a chance to win a kayak donated by Friends of Smithfield, with all proceeds benefiting the Paddle Sports Program at the park. The drawing will be held at 2 p.m.
Residents who want to learn more about the Adaptive Kayak Launch or park amenities should visit the Friendship Park District page on Facebook or email [email protected].
BoardSafe understands communities are looking for close-to-home recreation and safe and easy access to the water. More Features = More Paddlers.
BoardSafe Docks is the industry leader in Adaptive Kayak Launches and Accessible Fishing Piers, Gangways, Pedestrian Bridges, and other water access products. Let us help you with a free design consultation or virtual meeting to ensure your project provides universal access and offers paddle accessibility to anyone who wishes to get out and enjoy the water.