Stand-up paddle boarding made its debut at Fort Worth's Panther Island Pavilion as part of a plan to make the river a more exciting place.
The Trinity River Vision Authority, the organization responsible for revitalizing the river in Fort Worth, partnered with Aloha Paddleboards after seeing the sport's success in Austin.
Shanna Cate, the Planning and Development Manager for the TRVA said this project has been in the making for quite some time.
"The trail system is slowly building... building...building into what it is now over the last 30 years through various partners working together to create more recreation," Cate said.
Now, individuals traveling to the river can rent paddleboards. Panther Island Pavilion is already home for tubing and the Rockin' the River concert series. The TRVA hopes the new activity will only enhance the experience.
"It was a lot of fun," said Fort Worth resident Melissa Allison. "I need to learn how to balance a little bit better, but I didn't fall, so that's a good thing."
More projects are expected for the Trinity River in the coming years.
"We're in the process of developing and constructing a very large project that will put a riverwalk and town lake here in downtown Fort Worth, " Cate said. "We will have an opportunity for people to live, work, dine and shop right along the riverfront."
That project is under a 10-year time frame, but construction has already begun.
