By Jim Bloch
Next summer, kayaking will become more convenient in downtown Port Huron.
The city council approved a five-year agreement with Rent.Fun, LLC, of Ann Arbor, to supply a four-unit self-serve kayak rental station on the Black River.
Rent.Fun and its chief operating officer Adam Greenstein will provide the “physical storage and recreational equipment, Bluetooth and cellular locking technology, and related services for these operations,” according to the resolution unanimously adopted by the council at its regular meeting Nov. 13. (Mayor Pauline Repp canceled the regular meeting Nov. 27 for the lack of action items.)
The contract calls for the vendor to supply four sit-on-top kayaks and/or stand-up paddle boards.
“This is actually a really cool thing,” said City Manager James Freed, as heard on the audio recording of the meeting posted on the city’s website. “It’s going to be a self-serve kayak rental where you go up, scan the QR code and you can rent a kayak, a paddle, a life jacket. And so if you’re visiting downtown Port Huron or you live in downtown Port Huron, or maybe you’re in town for a convention and didn’t bring a kayak, you can readily get a kayak in the West Quay lot, use it for as long as you like, then bring it back. This will be a revenue generator for the city as well. We’ll be splitting the revenue with the company… This has been run before our legal counsel for liability issues and the contract was kosher.”
“Is it going to be available this coming season?” asked council member Teri Lamb.
“Yes,” said Freed.
“Very good,” said Lamb. “Exciting.”
The agreement is activated by the payment of $18,000 to the company by the city. Freed said the money will come out of city’s DDA fund. The parties will “enter into a revenue share program in which 50 percent of gross rental revenue is paid back to the City on an annual basis.”
The operator “shall develop and deliver to city a custom website designed to market the Rental Station Services prior to launch, at no cost to city,” according to the contract.
Rent.Fun may “choose to provide signage at the premises, which shall conform to all applicable laws, regulations and ordinances,” according to the contract. The operator “may obtain third party sponsors for the signage and retain all revenue collected there from. Operator will submit designs of any anticipated decals or signage for City’s approval prior to installation, not to be unreasonably withheld.”
The contract gives the city “the ability to disable the Rental Station kiosk during severe weather, dangerous river conditions, boating festivals and other times the City, in its sole and absolute discretion, deems necessary for the health, safety and welfare of the public.” The city and the vendor “shall mutually agree upon the hours of operations including the start date and end date each annual season.”
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
