Community Outreach

CRRPC resources and managed access benefit the broader community. CRRPC partners with other prominent civic and community organizations to promote the balanced and environmentally sensitive development of the Chicago River, its shoreline and associated park lands, and to facilitate group paddling tours and other paddling oriented festivities on the River, providing dock access, amenities, and parking. CRRPC’s dock is a stop on the National Water Trail.

Leadership & Expertise

In its historical role as the organization which pioneered use of the Chicago River by human-powered craft, the Chicago River Rowing & Paddling Center has acquired a vast reserve of knowledge, experience and relationships relating to the enjoyment and safe navigation of this exceptional urban waterway by paddlers and rowers. Although CRRPC has succeeded in its long quest to “prove” the once questioned viability and desirability of the Chicago River for human-powered craft, it continues to serve a vital role as the leading authority on “best practices” to ensure the continued enjoyment and safe navigation of the River by human-powered craft.

Partnering with Other Civic and Community Organizations

CRRPC partners with other prominent civic and community organizations, such as Friends of the Chicago, Friends of the Parks, and Open Lands, to promote the balanced and environmentally sensitive development of the Chicago River, its shoreline and associated park lands.

CRRPC also partners with other organizations to facilitate the launch of group paddling tours and other paddling oriented festivities on the River, providing dock access, amenities, and parking. CRRPC’s dock is a stop on the National Water Trail.

Public Outreach

CRRPC provides free public programming, such as its participation in USRowing’s National Learn to Row Day, which offers persons of all ages, income and skill levels the opportunity to learn about the health and social benefits of rowing and paddling on the Chicago River.

Through its guest rower and paddler program, CRRPC also brings the world to the Chicago River. Every year a large number of rowers and paddlers from all over the United States and the world, who are tourists to the city or are visiting and/or working in Chicago for business purposes, request permission to experience Chicago as a guest of CRRPC.

Events

In addition to providing the first point of access to the Chicago River for human-powered craft, in 1978 CRRPC also hosted the first competition for human-powered boats held on the Chicago River. This event was followed in 1980 by the First Annual Chicago Women’s Invitational Regatta, featuring the 1980 U.S. Women’s Olympic Rowing Team. These two events served to demonstrate yet another way in which the presence of human-powered craft could enhance appreciation of both the Chicago River and the City of Chicago.

CRRPC went on to host other iconic events in the years that followed, including the Iron Oars Marathon™, the Chicago Regatta, and the Chicago International Rowing Regatta™. (See Regattas for more information).