NYCkayaker NYC Water Trail / East River Access

[Erik Baard]

(Note -- I sent a reply to John right away, but the list serv -- yes, using
the term generically -- rejects baard.com, aol.com, and other domains. Argh.
So I am re-sending it here and now, after a great delay.)

Good afternoon,

You have allies on both fronts, Stuyvesant Cove and the South Street Seaport
Museum. Please also seriously consider joining Rob Buchanan in his quest to
have the beach beneath the Brooklyn Bridge (Manhattan side) a NYC Water
Trail launch.

I have been prodding Solar1 and the EDC administrators of the land upon
which it sits for years. Everyone points to others when asked about access.
Instead, the LIC Community Boathouse has gently broken local authorites in
by scheduling regular "don't ask-don't tell" (as Jerry Blackstone might
note, we are QUEENS people, after all!) visits to Solar1 events. The
temporary peace is that no one interferes with landing and launching, but
storage...ah, the eternal Manhattan problem: real estate. If you could step
forward to be the steady, resident-advocate, many people would be grateful.

South Street Seaport is another tricky and slippery one. Our best allies
there are with the Pioneer program, and my goal has been to arrange special
kayak visits to start, from the LIC Community Boathouse. With the safety and
desirability of paddling access proven by this limited, modest start, we can
nurture fuller and fuller development of the SSSP's identity as a paddling
destination. Ultimately, boat storage would be fantastic there too. But
perhaps there's a place for a shipping container or two under the Brooklyn
Bridge?

Thanks for your interest. Speaking as the secretary of the Gowanus Dredgers
Canoe Club, our organization looks for local pioneers to rally their
communities behind launch points. If they succeed in gaining access (and we
allow for a *bit* of gray), we're happy to aid the further development of
boathouses with advice, insurance coverage, 501(c)3 fiscal conduit services,
and even sometimes a bit of equipment purchases or loans.

So, in short, link up with allies and PUSH!

Best regards,

Erik


On Dec 11, 2007 11:10 PM, rob buchanan <robbuc at aol.com> wrote:

> John,
>
> The area you're talking about, around South Street Seaport, does not
> belong
> to the Parks Department but to the Economic Development Corporation. They
> are in the process of redeveloping it as public open space with $150
> million
> of federal funds; if you google up 'East River Waterfront Esplanade and
> Piers Project' you'll find the details. The best potential launch site
> along
> that stretch is the beach under the Manhattan end of the Brooklyn Bridge
> (photos at http://www.newyorkharborbeaches.org/beach13.htm ). I think the
> team at the Parks Dept. that's putting togther the Water Trail (led by
> Dorothy Lewandowski, the Queens Borough Commissioner) is interested in
> listing the site as part of their network, but is waiting for the EDC to
> settle on an access policy there (they've got the usual institutional
> worries about 'dangerous' currents, liability, etc.) Some of us have been
> prodding the waterfront committee of Community Board 1 about this, and
> lately there have been some encouraging signs of support. You're in
> community board 3; might be worth going to speak to their parks/waterfront
> committee the next time they meet.
>
> I don't know  what's going on at Stuyvesant Cove but agree it's a logical
> launch site, too. Anybody know of any efforts to push for access there?
>
>
> Rob Buchanan
>
>
> On 12/11/07 4:07 PM, "jkhunka at ix.netcom.com" <jkhunka at ix.netcom.com>
> wrote:
>
> > I live in the East Village and would like to use my Klepper folding
> kayak in
> > the East River.  However, there is practically no access to the water on
> the
> > East Side of Manhattan.  Is anyone aware of plans or proposals to create
> new
> > launch sites on the East Side as part of the NYC Water Trail?  Perhaps
> the NYC
> > Parks Department should collaborate with the South Street Seaport Museum
> to
> > create a place to store and launch sea kayaks at the seaport.  Such an
> > undertaking would be in line with the museum's mission.  In addition,
> the
> > Parks Department should investigate creating access to the river at
> Stuyvesant
> > Cove Park.  There is a storage shed behind Solar One at 23rd Street that
> could
> > be enlarged to create storage for kayaks, and there's a sliver of beach
> at
> > 21st Street that could be used as a launch site if a gate were installed
> in
> > the railing.
> >
> > John Hunka
> > 248 E 2d St #8
> > New York NY 10009
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