The donation of a new wooden rowboat to Iowa State has paved the way to making canoes on Lake Laverne accessible to students.

Larry Cooney, director of recreation services, said canoes and rowboats were popular about 15 years ago on the campus lake, but that the program was discontinued when interest waned.

The new rowboat’s donation, however, stirred interest in having watercraft on the lake again. The cardinal and gold wooden rowboat was designed by Bob Cramer, ISU graduate in civil engineering, and purchased with a donation from ISU alumnus Frances Craig. Cooney said the aerodynamically designed wooden watercraft would be available to the public during special events, including Family Weekend and Homecoming. One activity the program would like to sponsor is a “Sweetheart Float” over Homecoming, in which candles would be afloat on the lake and canoes would be available in the evening hours.

Recreation services staff will be on hand to supervise and to help students and family use the vessel.

“You’re actually having fun and learning at the same time,” Cooney said. “You may have never had a boat. We will teach you how to get in a boat, how to properly row it, and you will have learned a new skill,” he said.

In addition to the donated rowboat, Cooney said Recreation Services planned to have four to eight canoes available for student use on Lake Laverne. The times of availability have not yet been determined, but he said the boats would be around when students have the chance to use them. Cooney said the program would provide an informal recreation service for students. “You don’t have to prepare for it. You just walk by and decide to jump in a boat, and it’s there,” he said.

Outdoor Recreation currently rents out canoes and sailboats, but an on-campus location is not available for their use. Cooney said he thought students would enjoy the opportunity to try a new skill with the help of trained staff.

“There are a lot of students on campus who may not feel comfortable taking out a canoe by themselves,” he said. “This Lake Laverne program provides a three-acre lake. It’s not intimidating.”

Audra McBride, manager of outdoor recreation, said she was excited about the chance to use Lake Laverne.

“It’s unique to have such a beautiful lake on campus,” McBride said. “[The canoe program] is just going to give people more of a chance to take advantage of some of the fantastic resources on campus.”

McBride said some of the clean-up provided by a senior class project in the last several years has improved the lake, and she hopes more development can be done.

“Maybe the next thing we can do is see if we can coax the next senior class to donate a dock,” she said.

Clooney said Recreation Services always is looking to provide a variety of activities, and that watercraft on Lake Laverne will help provide that diversity for students. “Our whole objective here is to provide the best recreation services program in the country to the students of Iowa State,” he said.