If you are looking for a place to rent a kayak or canoe for a peaceful paddle - this is the place. In addition there is a rowing club headquartered here that offers youth and adult programs.

Editing to add that the Chicago River Canoe and Kayak folks are lovely, very helpful and well outfitted with gear to rent. Hitting the river here and heading north is a beautiful paddle. This park district building is strikingly beautiful from the outside, but I will say as a rower using the facility the architects missed the mark in a few places from a usability standpoint. Two are: the stalls in the toilets in the south building are comically small to navigate in and out, and the men's shower is completely open to the hall whenever the door is opened. In the north building where the boats are, God forbid you end a practice after dusk because there zero lighting in the room with the cubbies -- which is ridiculous. The tanks are gorgeous and state of the art. Love a wall of windows for tons of natural light, and that all open to let in fresh (or cool) air if needed. Again, beautiful from the outside (although careful because that dark gray slate facade gets awfully hot by the end of the day), but it's our boathouse, so it's a beloved home :)

Great place to enjoy weekend. Large restrooms when open are very nice boat dock is easy to launch kayaks. Also note there is a kayak rental place also.

Clean facility, friendly and helpful staff. Peaceful kayaking...love it

Great track for one wheelin

Very nice facility! Heated boat bays and dual rowing tanks

Wonderful boatrenting service, beautiful layout of the area and with indoor training even.

Go here often. The boathouse is architecturally significant. Staff engaging. Launch right into the backyards and docks of Irving park and Ravenswood, under the el tracks, andQuietly paddle by tumbling tiered yards. We saw a coyote hidden in plain sight on tiny square dock, and few cormorants too. Right adjacent to the boathouse is a gem of a bike dirt jump park, too, in the woods

Great place, Wonderful people, quality ergs. DISTURBINGLY DISGUSTING Ergs, what kind of facility doesn't supply disinfecting wipes for equipment or at least a sign to bring your own. That would be a step in the right direction so people at least know what they are getting into. If you want a quality Staph infection you can increase your chances by 500% here.

Nice facility, parking and great launching site. I had to carry my kayak about 100 yards, it would be nice to be able to pull up closer and unload then park.