A kayak park in Oakmont is one step closer to fruition.

Council unanimously approved the preliminary design by Pittsburgh architectural firm Environmental Planning and Design.

The park would be at a 1.53-acre lot owned by the borough along the 1000 block of Allegheny Avenue, near the Brenntag Northeast facility.

The park would serve as a launching point for kayaks, canoes, paddle boats and other nonmotorized watercraft into the Allegheny River and an access point to the Three Rivers Water Trail.

“It's a great location,” Councilman Tim Favo said.

“What we need to do is take our time, be considerate of the neighbors and make it a park that everyone's going to use versus making a quick decision that might qualify for a grant but may not be the best decision.

“I think it's still a work in progress. No one's saying not to do it. We're saying let's do it right.”

Water features in the area include Sycamore Island in Blawnox and the state park islands north of Oakmont.

The water trail has 23 access points for nonmotorized boats on the Allegheny, Monongahela, Ohio and Youghiogheny rivers.

All the public access points are free and require no registration or launch permit.

Borough recreation board chairman Tom Bland called council's vote a “positive step.”

“It's definitely another step forward in what's been a long process,” he said.

“There continues to be a concern over the length of the path down to the river. It's a serpentine or switchback configuration. It zig-zags down the hill to achieve (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance.”

Favo said it is approximately 700 feet from a proposed parking area to the launch site.

“I'd rather see something a little more user-friendly than 700 feet,” Favo said.

There is no timetable for the project.

Friends of the Riverfront received a $40,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for the Oakmont project. The estimated total cost is $140,000.

Oakmont officials plan to work with Friends of the Riverfront to finalize plans.

“The final design affects the final price, which affects where you go for your grants,” Bland said.

The borough received more than 30 letters in support of the kayak park.

Bland hopes to break ground next year and have a grand opening in mid- to late summer.

Michael DiVittorio is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-871-2367 or mdivittorio@tribweb.com.

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