The Chicago Park District plans to complete the last of four boathouses this fall, a five-year project aimed at increasing community access to the Chicago River and its tributaries.

But at the three finished boathouses in Chinatown, Ravenswood and Lakeview, residents say more needs to be done to make the facilities usable. There is limited parking available for those who want to launch their own kayaks or canoes, rental offices do not have consistent hours and few people beyond the rowing community seem to be aware the boathouses are available for public use.

"There are a lot of people in Chicago who would love to do this," said Danny Miller, 63, of Lincoln Square, who was strapping his kayak to the top of his car at the River Park Boathouse in Ravenswood. "I just don't think it's advertised enough."

In 2011, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the project, which was funded by the Park District, private investors and a $1 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency that went toward eradicating invasive species and job training. Each boathouse was to have a concession facility and serve as an access point to the river, with a dock, rentals and storage space. Ping Tom Memorial Park Boathouse in Chinatown and River Park Boathouse are exclusively for kayaking and canoeing while WMS Boathouse at Clark Park and the new Bridgeport boathouse also include features geared toward rowing.

Liam Durnan, partner at Chicago River Canoe and Kayak, talks about who rents kayaks to paddle on the Chicago River. (Grace Wong / Chicago Tribune) Liam Durnan, partner at Chicago River Canoe and Kayak, talks about who rents kayaks to paddle on the Chicago River. (Grace Wong / Chicago Tribune) SEE MORE VIDEOS

Emanuel said that he believes the city has come a long way in seeing the river as a resource.

"For people who want to get to (the boathouses), they know how to get to them and how to use them," Emanuel said. "For 150 years, we were walled off from the river as if it were another city and now we have people canoeing and there's people enjoying it from a recreational standpoint, and the quality of life, it's totally different for the city."

Emanuel noted the boathouses will help people to experience nature and learn a new sport. He also said that more people using the river will help increase the demand for environmental improvements.

"The Riverwalk creates that immediacy and intimacy, and the boathouses also create that intimacy and immediacy with our river," Emanuel said.

Ping Tom Memorial Park Boathouse

Although Ping Tom Boathouse was the first to open in June 2013, nearby residents said Saturday they didn't know anything about the building. The boathouse, which was estimated to cost about $4 million, consists of bathrooms connected to a kayak storage facility and a launch dock.

James Morro, owner and manager of Urban Kayaks, the vendor at the Chinatown location, said the rental office was closed after Labor Day, and this was the last year of their contract at Ping Tom. They plan to reapply for a three- to five-year renewal.

"The demand for what we're offering is expanding," he said.

Morro said Urban Kayaks offered "Ping Tom Paddle," a $10-per-hour paddle in front of the park within view of the dock and a $35-per-person lesson and guided paddle toward downtown.

However, Chinatown residents who are familiar with the boathouse feel "priced out" by the rentals, said David Wu, president of the Ping Tom Memorial Park Advisory Council.

"That kind of pricing on Michigan Avenue is appropriate because people are willing to spend a higher amount to kayak because you're on vacation," Wu said. "But Ping Tom is kind of more of a community park and I haven't heard too many community members who would rent at the same price that they would charge on Michigan Avenue."

People with their own kayaks or canoes can launch from Ping Tom's dock, but they can be stymied by the lack of parking. The majority of parking is by permit and there is no place to pull up to the dock, forcing would-be paddlers to carry their boats for blocks to get to the river.

WMS Boathouse at Clark Park

WMS Boathouse opened next in October 2013 and cost $8.8 million, a figure that includes $2 million from the WMS gaming company, which has offices across the Chicago River from the facility; $1 million from North Park University; and $200,000 from the nonprofit Chicago Rowing Foundation. The largest of the completed boathouses, the building was designed and built by Studio Gang Architects and is equipped