Water sport rentals begin Friday at Riverside Park

KAMLOOPS — Hanging out at the beach of Riverside Park is a summer staple in Kamloops, but beyond that there isn’t much to do. Now, Tourism Kamloops is adding a little more fun to your summer ventures to the park.

“We have vendors, water sport rentals. We have games for just the family to come down,” said Tourism Kamloops CEO Bev DeSantis. “These will be affordable, just a really cool way for people to try activities in the park and activities in and around the water.”

The Concession at Riverside Park opens on Friday. People will be able to rent water bikes, kayaks, canoes, as well bocce sets, spikeball, and other fun activities. It’s a one-year pilot project with the idea of injecting more life into the park.

“On TripAdvisor, people would come down to the park as tourists previously and they would say, ‘We came down to the park. It’s a beautiful space, but there was nothing to do here, as we didn’t pack sporting equipment,’” noted DeSantis. “So not only will this give a chance for our community to try water sports and activities, it will also elevate the experience for visitors.”

People who utilize the park often during the summer are looking forward to more entertainment options.

“I think it’s brilliant. I think it’s nice to see kids working on this and the city helping them. I believe it’s going to bring more people down here. It’s going to be a lot more fun,” said Kamloops resident Derek Granger.

Christina Stefanuk added, “I think it’s a really great location. I moved here 10 years ago and I’ve been trying to get my friends to come and visit. My husband’s into whitewater kayaking and I love stand-up paddleboard renting and doing parkour in the park, so I think it’s great to bring tourism down to Kamloops and help the local businesses downtown.”

While there have been some in the city wanting to preserve the park and keep its tranquil nature, Tourism Kamloops believes the benefits of the pilot project are aplenty.

Surrounding businesses like Scoopz to gain more cliental with the hopes that rentals and other fun activities will attract more people to the area.

“Sunny weather is what reflects my sales, so as long as the sun’s out people are going to be around,” said Scoopz owner Adrianne Erlandson. “I’ll be in the park as well with my cart, so I think it’s just great for everyone.”

The Concession runs from noon until 8 p.m. seven days a week until Sept. 7, then weekends until Thanksgiving.