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Canton Kayak Club holds public hearing on proposed lease of Hutchins Memorial Park
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Summary
At a Sept. 2 public hearing, the Canton Kayak Club described plans to use part of Frank J. Hutchins Memorial Park for training and community kayaking; the council took no vote at the hearing.
Havre de Grace — The City Council held a public hearing Tuesday on Ordinance 12‑04, a proposed lease to allow the Canton Kayak Club to use a portion of Frank J. Hutchins Memorial Park.
The hearing drew one speaker, Mark Sargable, who identified himself as an American Canoe Association (ACA) kayak instructor and the Canton Kayak Club trainer. Sargable told the council the club requires members to complete safety training, offers community outreach and guided tours, and aims to reduce the number of rescue calls by improving paddlers’ knowledge of boat-handling and water safety around motorboats. He said the club is open to new members and that some club members also run kayak tours in the region.
The lease ordinance was introduced earlier and cites the city’s authority under Article 11E of the Maryland Constitution, the Local Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, and sections 33, 34 and 76 of the Havre de Grace City Charter. During the hearing no other members of the public spoke and no council member commented. The council closed public comment on Ordinance 12‑04 at 7:08 p.m. and did not take a final vote during the meeting.
Sargable said the club would advertise and require a short safety course for new paddlers, and that club members would share skills with members of the community. He also noted he operates a kayak tour business in the region and has industry experience that he expects to bring to the club’s training.
The hearing record indicates the city will next consider the ordinance under the council’s regular process; the transcript does not show further action or a vote on the lease at this meeting.
