NYCkayaker Meeting re boathouse at Pier 26 tonight?

[Rob Buchanan]

I agree that a lot of sense was made at last night's meeting. But I'm
wondering if any of it will matter. That announcement at the outset that the
hrp trust had construction drawings for the boathouse that were 'virtually
100 percent complete' and would be putting them out to bid in april would
seem to pre-empt any real community input. That said, here's my two cents,
in case the trust turns out to be bluffing, or eliot spitzer comes in and
gives connie fishman a stern talking-to about NOT building another white
elephant. 


1) let's cut all the extras, on the theory that the less money is wasted on
frills, the more can be spent on raw space. So, no fabulous soaring
rooflines or jungle gym aluminum superstructures. No showers, no central
heating, no insulation, no bathrooms even (as jim wetteroth pointed out,
toilets never really work on piers).

2) let's make sure the space is flexible enough to accommodate not only
kayaks, but also rowing gigs and even six-man outrigger canoes. I know that
the downtown boathouse is envisioned as the tenant here, and that means
mostly kayaks, but as recreational boating on the harbor grows, the
community's needs and interests will surely diversify. Bmcc, which is right
next door, has a rowing program on pier 40 now, but what happens when that
gets rebuilt? Will downtowners wanting to row or paddle together really trek
all the way up to midtown to get on the water? Anyway, designwise it's not a
big deal--it just means bigger doors and good high ceilings--at least 12
feet, so that oars can be stood on end (something the architects of the MIT
boathouse in Boston famously forgot)--and a davit or two.

3) let's not let them put a lock on the gate or door at the head of the ramp
that runs down to the dock. There can be plenty of fierce signage, but for
me, at least, more important than the boathouse itself is the idea of open
access. Without that, we're just rats fenced into a cage, pathetic little
minions who need to go begging permission from their minders in order to
enjoy a day on the water. In the long run, that can't be good for the
community, especially one with such a proud nautical heritage.

4) let's insist on a couple of big barn doors on the south side of the
building, even though boats will be launched to the west. There's nothing
nicer than hanging out in a sunny, protected spot on a blustery winter day
when the wind is out of the northwest.


On 1/23/07 9:53 AM, "bonnie13 at earthlink.net" <bonnie13 at earthlink.net> wrote:

> And it was DEFINITELY interested. Pier 26 is not somewhere I personally EVER
> would have expected to store a boat but I was depressed just on general
> principal when I read that Downtown Express article about the Trust cutting
> the Tribeca boathouse because they didn't have the budget - when it's so
> freaking obvious that the boathouses they ARE building are just plain over-
> (and mis-) designed & for the cost of the 2 they've already built, they could
> probably have afforded at least 3 simpler boathouses that actually would have
> worked better. Bleah.
> 
> So nice to hear sense being spoken at that meeting last night.
> 
> too many deadlines today I did a bit of a writeup on my blog -
> www.frogma.blogspot.com -  it's not great 'cause I did it too fast after I got
> home last night, but I think it gives the general sense (attendees are MORE
> than welcome to send me any corrections or clarifications).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
>> From: "j,duffy1" <j.duffy1 at rcn.com>
>> Sent: Jan 22, 2007 5:53 PM
>> To: bonnie13 at earthlink.net
>> Cc: nyckayaker <nyckayaker at rockandwater.net>, pier63holdtrips
>> <pier63holdtrips at yahoogroups.com>, greenland list
>> <greenland-list at brooklynkayak.com>
>> Subject: Re: NYCkayaker Meeting re boathouse at Pier 26 tonight?
>> 
>> Thank you, Bonnie.  This meeting was set last week at the first Pier
>> 25-26 subgroup meeting, and most of the usual suspects were there.  I
>> should have posted it to the list, but I forgot.  It should be interesting.
>> 
>> Jim Wetteroth,
>> 
>> bonnie13 at earthlink.net wrote:
>> 
>>> Sorry, can't remember if anybody else announced this already but there's a
>>> meeting that might be of interest tonight - I don't know if I can make it,
>>> if I do it's out of curiousity & I only intend to listen - but I suddenly
>>> realized I hadn't done a thing to pass the word.  It's on their public
>>> notice section at www.cb1.org . I have no more details than this.
>>> 
>>> Waterfront Committee
>>> DATE:  Monday, January 22, 2007
>>> TIME:  6:00 PM 
>>> PLACE:  Community Board #1 Office
>>> 49-51 Chambers Street, Room 709
>>> 
>>> Agenda 
>>> 1)  East River Waterfront ­ Preview on upcoming ULURP action ­ Presentation
>>> by EDC  
>>> 2) Strategic planning needs assessment discussion lead by Michael Levine,
>>> Director of Planning and Land Use of CB #1
>>> 
>>> Pier 26 ­ Boat House ­7:30 PM
>>> 1) Subgroup working session
>>> 
>>> Sorry again about the late notice and/or duplication. Since I've disengaged
>>> from the Hudson River scene & gone to Jamaica Bay I'm a little out of the
>>> loop.  
>>> 
>>> 
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> 
> 
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