[00:00:04]
WE'RE HERE AT BUCKTOWN HARBOR.
IT'S THE, THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE KAYAKERS LAUNCH.
UH, THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING PROJECT HERE AT THE BUCKTOWN PADDLERS CANAL.
IT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE CALLING LIKE PHASE ONE OF SOME OF THE GREAT AMENITIES THAT ARE COMING ONLINE.
WE RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE THROUGH THEIR LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION GRANT TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE LAKE FOR HAND POWERED CRAFT.
SO YOU MAY SEE IN THE BACKGROUND BEHIND ME KAYAKERS.
WE HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE WILL HAVE PEOPLE WITH PADDLE BOARDS.
UM, JUST ENJOYING THE LAKEFRONT AND HAVING ACCESS TO THE LAKE.
IT'S A DREAM COME TRUE, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE A VISION OF BRINGING PEOPLE BACK TO THE LAKE AND CREATING THINGS TO GET THEM HERE AND THEN SEEING IT IN ACTION PADDLING THROUGH IT.
UM, IT, IT'S HARD TO HAVE WORDS FOR JUST THE, THE FULL FEELING THAT YOU GET FROM THAT.
WATCHING PEOPLE PADDLE OUT HERE TODAY IS SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.
IT GOES FROM HERE, UH, AND, AND BUCKTOWN ALL THE WAY TO BONNEVILLE.
THE JETTIES THAT PROTECT THE PADDLERS CANAL ALSO, UH, PROTECTS US FROM, FROM, FROM COASTAL EROSION AND FROM HURRICANES.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY KIND OF AN ALL AROUND GREAT PROJECT FOR OUR ECOSYSTEM.
AND, UH, AND, AND FOR THE, FOR THE SHORELINE.
WE HAVE MADE THIS HOPEFULLY AS RESILIENT AS POSSIBLE.
WE HAVE, UM, THESE REALLY STRONG BULKHEADS AND A LOT OF BREAKWATERS THAT ARE PROTECTING IT FROM WAVE ACTION 'CAUSE THIS IS RIGHT HERE ON LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.
THE WAY THIS IS DESIGNED, THIS PADDLE CANAL, EVEN IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN IN A KAYAKER CANOE, YOU CAN GET OUT HERE SAFELY BECAUSE IT'S SHALLOW.
YOU HAVE LAUNCHES THAT MAKE IT EASY, AND THEN YOU CAN PRACTICE YOUR STROKES IN THIS WHOLE AREA BEFORE YOU EVER GET OUT INTO THE LAKE.
THE LAKE IS SUCH AN ASSET AND THE GOAL IS TO BRING PEOPLE BACK OUT HERE AND, AND THIS IS A, A GIANT STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.