NYCkayaker NYC Water Trail / East River Access

Wed Dec 12 13:46:04 EST 2007

Dear John et al,

Avoid locked gates whenever possible. Please don't feed that mentality.We're
making great progress in affecting a culture change within city government.
Our goal is to have the city government, beyond this administration,
recognize that we live in an estuary that preceeds the municipality and that
safety education is a more effective route to safety. Personally, I also
find the "nanny state" paradigm frightening.

If anything, we need to take down bulkheads where possible. There was (is?)
a chance to replace the retaining wall at Queensbridge Park, currently
collapsing, with coves and soft shoreline.

At Hallets Cove, the city is indeed tearing down a section of wall to
increase access! Wahoo! That's thanks to Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy
Lewandowski, who happens to also be the driving force behind the of the NYC
Water Trail.

Kayak and canoe permits might be a necessary evil (actually, the only use I
have found in them was the one noted by Ralph Diaz -- they are the closest
thing we have to a kayaker census, and they fall far short even at that),
but let's not encourage further restrictions and regulations on public
waterfronts.

Best regards,

Erik Baard
www.licboathouse.org
www.naturecalendar.com

On 12/12/07, jkhunka at ix.netcom.com <jkhunka at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
> I'd recommend the following solution to the issue of access to the beaches
> under the Brooklyn Bridge and at 21st Street.  First, the City installs
> locked gates at those locations.  Then, the City could issue keys to
> individuals who apply for canoe/kayak permits through the NYC Department of
> Parks and Recreation.  I think this proposal is a simple and practical way
> to provide access to the river for kayakers that addresses the concerns
> about safety.  Food for thought.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: Erik Baard <erikbaard at gmail.com>
> >Sent: Dec 12, 2007 1:02 AM
> >To: nyckayaker <nyckayaker at rockandwater.net>
> >Subject: Re: NYCkayaker NYC Water Trail / East River Access
> >
> >(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
> >> >
> **********************************************************************
> >> > The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, and is
> a
> >> public
> >> > service offered to the kayaking community by the Hudson River
> Watertrail
> >> > Association. Learn more about HRWA at www.hrwa.org
> >> >
> >> > To unsubscribe or change delivery options:
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> >>
> >>
> >> **********************************************************************
> >> The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, and is a
> >> public service offered to the kayaking community by the Hudson River
> >> Watertrail Association. Learn more about HRWA at www.hrwa.org
> >>
> >> To unsubscribe or change delivery options:
> >> http://www.rockandwater.net/mailman/listinfo/nyckayaker
> >>
> >**********************************************************************
> >The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, and is a
> public service offered to the kayaking community by the Hudson River
> Watertrail Association. Learn more about HRWA at www.hrwa.org
> >
> >To unsubscribe or change delivery options:
> >http://www.rockandwater.net/mailman/listinfo/nyckayaker
>
>

-- 
Erik Baard

www.licboathouse.org
www.naturecalendar.com