BOAT LOAN PROGRAM

In the summer of 2021  the Friends of Leverett Pond built a boat rack at the Depot Road Boat Launch at the southern tip of the pond, stocked it with canoes and kayaks donated from town folks, built and filled a storage bin with life preservers, and made all this available to town residents for free. 

This year, Leverett residents can pick up a key to the boats and equipment locker at the Leverett Library every Saturday, 10 to 12, June through September. Borrowers will need to sign a release and can keep the key for one week.

The Leverett Pond boating experience begins with a quiet paddle, snaking along a channel that leads through the wetland marsh to open water beyond. After that it is clear sailing until you reach the northern coves of the pond that are dominated by pond lilies, decomposing tree trunks, an uninhabited shoreline, and a plethora of turtles, waterfowl, and other wildlife. You will also find the new dam in the northeast corner. You can walk around the dam but please do not walk on the dam (it can be dangerous) or cross the brook.

Please contact Steve Freedman at winosteve2@gmail.com with any questions. 

BASIC RULES

Leverett Pond is infested with the noxious invasive weed, milfoil, and other invasive and native weeds. Do not remove this boat for use on other bodies of freshwater as this runs the risk of cross-infestation. For the benefit of the ecology of freshwater ecosystems everywhere DO NOT remove these boats from Leverett Pond. 

Children may not use kayaks/canoes and related equipment without adult parental/guardian supervision. 

Kayaks/Canoes may be borrowed by Leverett Residents and their immediate family* only. Out-of- town guests who have completed the appropriate paperwork and are accompanied by Leverett Residents, may use the kayaks/canoes

Use of kayaks/canoes is based on availability of boats and appropriate life vests. Anyone using a kayak must wear a Coast Guard approved life vest. Borrowers are strongly encouraged to bring their own life preservers. There is a limited supply of life preservers in the equipment locker for borrowers to use if necessary. Life preservers are sized by individual body weight, the smallest being 30 pound limit. There is one preserver of this size in the locker. The next size is 30-50-pounds and there are five of these in the locker. Others are rated roughly according to body size, small, medium, large, and extra-large. It is imperative life preservers be used to borrow from this program. 

All borrowers must have a valid Massachusetts driver’s license clearly showing Leverett residency. 

All borrowers must read and sign the Kayak/Canoe Loan Program Release and Loan  Program Policy every time they borrow a kayak/Canoe. 

Kayak/canoe loans cannot be renewed, i.e., they must be returned at the end of the agreed-upon borrowing period.  Kayaks/Canoes can be used only by persons who have signed a Release and Policy and submitted them to Diane Crowe of the Recreation Committee. Kayaks/Canoes and related equipment cannot be loaned to others. Boats and equipment may be used only in Leverett Pond. 

When Borrowers have finished using a kayak/canoe each day, the Borrowers must return the boat to the storage rack and secure it with the lock provided. 

Kayaks/Canoes may be used between sunrise and sunset. It is recommended that all users finish paddling thirty minutes before sunset to allow enough light to properly secure boat to storage rack. 

Kayaks/Canoes may not be left unattended and unsecured at any time. Borrowers will be held accountable for any equipment lost, stolen or damaged during the period it is borrowed. 

Kayaks/Canoes and all related equipment must be returned to the storage area on the due date. Keys to the storage area must be returned to the Key Return Box on the side of the equipment locker on the due date.  Equipment returned after the due date is subject to a $10 per day late fee. Equipment (including parts) damaged, lost or more than 30 calendar days overdue will be promptly billed at replacement cost. Failure to pay for lost or damaged Kayak Loan Program equipment of any kind will result in the loss of borrowing privileges. 

*Immediate family includes spouse, domestic/civil union/same sex committed partners, children, parents, brothers or sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, grandchildren, and mother-in-law or father-in-law.