Before the summer season began, the Kayak Pittsburgh crew was already hard at work building a new place for you to access and enjoy the three rivers. The Downtown Community Hub will be a floating dock stationed under the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. It will host the area’s first adaptive kayak launch and ACA Pro Paddle School, as well as youth programs, fishing, and more. While we were busy making plans for the Downtown Community Hub to be ready this July, (construction project) life happened and required us to delay the open date to May 2025.

For those looking to paddle downtown during the 2024 season, join us at the Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown Pop-Up location below Acrisure Stadium on the North Shore Trail. We’ve added tandem kayaks so families and groups have better access to the rivers. We’ll continue to host regular classes, group paddles, and our fan favorite Fireworks Paddles. See the calendar for more events. >>

Next STeps for the huB

• All permits are in place and construction on the floating dock has begun! Special thanks to our amazing partners at BoardSafe and Rycon Construction.
• The project team continues to hone the building design for efficient storage and accessible operations, as well as to ensure the space meets the needs of our youth, community, and fishing programs.
• Our communications crew is hard at work developing plans for wayfinding signage and interactive art to bring the space alive and connect it to the DLL Convention Center and surrounding neighborhood.
• Fundraising continues and we are excited to launch an opportunity for you to be part of the Kayak Pittsburgh crew. Help us finish the building, equip the dock, and provide access to the Allegheny River! Get ready for your chance to ADOPT-A-KAYAK (SUP, PFD, or Paddle).