The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce celebrated Pike Lake’s new kayak rental kiosk with a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, June 15. Center Lake also has one. From left: Front — Warsaw City Councilwoman and Warsaw Parks Board Member Diane Quance with her dog Oakley and Chamber Ambassadors Scott Clay, Ben Snyder and Shawn Brown; back — Chamber President and CEO Rob Parker and Chamber Ambassadors Heather Lardino, Tammy Smith and Shelley Dobbins, Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department Superintendent Larry Plummer and Maintenance Director Shaun Gardner, Warsaw Parks Board Member Jill Beehler and Chamber Member Relations Manager Scott Wiley. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce celebrated the opening of a second kayak kiosk at Warsaw lakes on Wednesday, June 15.

The chamber had a ribbon-cutting for Pike Lake’s kiosk, having had one for Center Lake’s kiosk last week.

Eight kayaks are available to rent at Pike Lake for $15 for an hour or $40 for four hours. People may rent them from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. by using the app Rent.Fun.

The city received a $29,600 grant last year from the Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission to install the kiosks at the lakes, said Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department Superintendent Larry Plummer.

The kayaks have been available to rent for about two and a half weeks at Pike Lake, and they have been popular, said Plummer.

“In our five-year master plan (for the parks department), it’s always been about using our lakes. That’s one of our greatest assets,” said Plummer. “I feel this is the start to making that accomplishment to do that and we’re excited to have these on the lakes.”

“We’re just excited that the people can come and they don’t have to store these things in their garage or haul them on their cars. They can just come to the lake and enjoy it,” he added.

Water activities will expand at Pike Lake soon with paddle board rentals as well, also with people using the Rent.Fun app, said Plummer.

He said he believes those should be available by July 1.