Charles River Recreation is dedicated to providing unique recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts in the Boston metropolitan area.
We operate Charles River Canoe & Kayak, headquartered in Newton and offering canoe and kayak sales, rentals, classes, and guided trips, and Weston Ski Track, located at the Martin Golf Course in Weston and offering cross-country skiing and instruction on groomed, lighted trails.
In the early seventies, Mike Farny had the vision of offering affordable outdoor recreation to Boston area residents. In cooperation with Commissioner John Sears of the Metropolitan District Commission, Mike opened the Charles River Canoe Service on May 23, 1973 using the basement of the MDC Norumbega Police Substation in Auburndale.
At the head of the historic Lakes District and next to the site of the renowned Totem Pole Ballroom and Norumbega Park, this late 19th century building offered the perfect site to revive interest in the river and the opportunities for local recreation. In concert with the newly formed Charles River Watershed Association, which had recently been formed to focus on improving the quality of the river, Mike would get people onto the Charles.
Seeing a parallel opportunity to offer winter outdoor recreation in the relatively new sport of cross-country skiing, Mike opened the Weston Ski Track at the MDC's Leo Martin Golf Course the following year (1974-75). Merging Scandinavian ideas with American technology, the center offered urban night skiing and snowmaking along the scenic banks of the Charles River just upstream from the Canoe Center.
Mike Farny's goal was to heighten people's awareness of the environment through active human-powered recreation. His triangular relationship of "technique - fitness - environment" would lead to a healthier population, which would be taught proper techniques to fully enjoy local recreational opportunities. Everyone could then appreciate the outdoors and advocate for improvements in the environment.
In 1983, when the Charles River Watershed Association was in need of funding, we organized the Run of the Charles.
Although never a great source of funds, this event has raised awareness of the river and its recreational opportunities. This canoe and kayak race has grown to be the largest in New England with over 2000 paddlers.
In the mid-1970's, present owners Larry Smith and Dave Jacques joined Mike as managers of the Lincoln Guide Service, a bicycle and cross-country ski shop and instructional center in Lincoln. As business expanded, Larry and Dave assumed management of the Canoe Center and developed the Ski Track. In June 1986 Dave, Larry, and Jim Foss assumed ownership of these two centers, changing the name of the Canoe Center to Charles River Canoe & Kayak to acknowledge the expanding influence of these versatile boats.
Over the years the Charles River Canoe Service has expanded to offer instruction, trips, rentals, children's camps, and sales for canoes and kayaks. Although we now refer to the center as Charles River Canoe and Kayak, the mission to bring affordable outdoor recreation to the Boston area endures.
In addition to expanding services at the Canoe Center and Ski Track, two boat rental/instructional centers were added in the last 15 years. Charles River Canoe and Kayak :: Boston, founded in 1993 and located in Allston just upstream of Harvard Square, is a cooperative effort with the Department of Conservation and Recreation's Division of Urban Parks and Recreation. Through the efforts of manager Ralph Boynton, this center now offers a diverse urban population the opportunity to enjoy the Charles River.
To the west, in cooperation with the Division of State Parks and Recreation, we began offering boat rentals and instruction at Cochituate Canoe and Kayak, located within Lake Cochituate State Park in Natick, during the summer of 2000. With a public swimming beach, this facility has become the location of our children's camp program.
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