The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is offering boating and boating education opportunities to help celebrate the designation of June as ‘Ohio Goes Boating Month’ by the 132nd Ohio General Assembly. The House Bill 84 designation highlights Ohio’s thriving boating and tourism industry.
In an effort to bring attention to the many boating opportunities the state’s lakes and beaches offer, legislators in both the House and Senate passed House Bill 84 on April 26, highlighting the importance of the Ohio’s boating industry, which creates $3.6 billion in economic benefits. According to committee testimony, the western basin of Lake Erie has the third largest concentration of boats in the United States. The bill also strives to increase awareness for ensuring that Lake Erie, and all of Ohio’s waterways, remain clean, protected and healthy.
House Bill 84 promotes the variety of activities for Ohioans on the water at state parks, marinas and yacht clubs. Boating activities, such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing, stand-up paddleboarding and power boating, also encourages Ohioans to vacation in the state, which boosts local economies along Ohio’s shoreline and throughout the state.
Among the boating and boating education activities sponsored by the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft this month is a Richland County offering of the Ohio Boating Education Course. The course will be held on June 11 from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM at the Pleasant Hill Lake Park Welcome Center, 3431 State Route 95, Perrysville. To register, call Pleasant Hill Park at 419-938-7884.
Other activities statewide include:
- Power Boating Basics Course – June 1-3 from 6-9 p.m., Geneva State Park Marina. For more information and to register, call 440-466-8400.
- Little Miami River Cleanup – June 3 from 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Little Miami State Park. For more information, visit: lmriverkleeners.org.
- Paddling Demo Day – June 3, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Shawnee State Park. For more information and to register, call 740-858-6652.
- Toledo Sail and Power Squadron and River Lures Kayak Seminar – June 3, 10:30 a.m., River Lures Livery, Grand Rapids, Wood County. To register, contact Nelson Evans at 419-376-1415 or [email protected].
- Ohio Boating Education Course – June 3, from 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Lakefront Marina, 1805 West Lakeshore Drive, Port Clinton, Ottawa County. To register, call 419-734-5576.
- U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 082-06-08 About Boating Safely Course – June 3, from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Richardson-Bretz Building, 119 W. Fulton St., Celina, Mercer County. To register, contact Anita Daniel at 937-726-6572 or [email protected].
- Ohio Boating Education Course, Spirit of America – June 3, from 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Dwyer Senior Center, 300 Bryson Lane, Bay Village, Cuyahoga County. To register, call Claire at 440-897-3453.
- Essentials to Close Quarter Boat Control – June 4, from 8 a.m.–4 p.m., Geneva State Park Marina, Ashtabula County. To register, call Geneva State Park at 440-466-8400.
- Ohio Boating Education Course – June 5 and 12, from 4-8 p.m., Point Place Library, 2727 117th St., Toledo, Lucas County. To register, call Maumee Bay State Park at 419-836-6003 or email [email protected].
- Safe Boating and Fishing Festival – June 10, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Pleasant Hill Lake Park, 3431 State Route 95, Perrysville, Richland County. For more information, call 419-938-7884.
- Ohio Boating Education Course – June 10, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Lake Loramie State Park – Earls Island Pavilion, 4401 Ft. Loramie Swanders Road, Minster, Shelby County. To register, call Grand Lake St. Marys State Park at 419-394-3611.
- Ohio Boating Education Course – June 10, from 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton, Montgomery County. Call Five Rivers MetroParks at 937-275-7275 or register online at metroparks.org.
- American Beaver Kayak Trip – June 11, from 6-9 p.m., Wingfoot Lake State Park. To register, call 330-628-4720.
- Ohio Boating Education Course – June 13 and 14, from 6-10 p.m., Mentor Municipal Center, 8500 Civic Center Blvd., Mentor, Lake County. To register, call Mentor Parks and Recreation at 440-974-5720.
- Kayak Birding Trip – June 17, from 8 a.m.–12 p.m., East Fork State Park. To register, call 513-734-4323.
- Ohio Boating Education Course – June 17, from 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Buck Creek State Park, Springfield, Clark County. To register, call Buck Creek State Park at 937-323-1582.
- U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 082-06-08 About Boating Safely Course – June 17, from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Moundwood Station, 7490 Edgewater Ave., Huntsville, Logan County. To register, contact Anita Daniel at 937-726-6572 or [email protected].
- Paddle Palooza – June 18, from 1-5 p.m., Cowan Lake State Park. For more information, call 614-306-4913.
- Ohio Boating Education Course – June 24, from 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Rocky Fork State Park. Call the East Fork State Park office to register at 513-734-2730.
- Intro to Canoeing – June 24, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Alum Creek State Park – meet at the Cheshire boat ramp. To register, call 614-265-6652 or email [email protected].
- Paddle Palooza – June 24, from 12-4 p.m., Portage Lakes State Park – at the beach. For more information, contact Richelle Slomer at 330-402-6919 or [email protected].
- Ohio Boating Education Course – June 24, from 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Alum Creek State Park classroom. To register, contact Alum Creek State Park at 740-548-5490 or [email protected].
- Ohio Boating Education Course – June 24, from 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Rocky Fork State Park Activity Center (turn at North Shore launch ramp), Hillsboro, Clermont County. To register, contact East Fork State Park at 513-734-2730 or [email protected].
The ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft is responsible for managing Ohio’s 74 state parks and providing the finest outdoor recreational opportunities, including first-class boating services, facilities and law enforcement for users of Ohio’s waterways and public lands.
