NYCkayaker NYC Water Trail / East River Access

Wed Dec 12 14:18:22 EST 2007

Regarding Solar One and Stuyvesant Cove Park...

I attended a lecture at Solar One last month about efforts to restore oyster beds in the Hudson River estuary.  Does anyone know whether there has been a screening of "City of Water" at Solar One?  

-----Original Message-----
>From: Erik Baard <erikbaard at gmail.com>
>Sent: Dec 12, 2007 1:46 PM
>To: nyckayaker <nyckayaker at rockandwater.net>
>Subject: Re: NYCkayaker NYC Water Trail / East River Access
>
>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:
>> >> > 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
>> >>
>> >**********************************************************************
>> >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
>**********************************************************************
>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