NYCkayaker Gateway Bike & Boathouse Update

[Erik Baard]

This is wonderful, despite frustrations. I hoped for similar would evolve
naturally when we arranged for Recycle-a-Bicycle to share a landlord with
the LIC Community Boathouse. Perhaps in time. One of our fundraising parties
a few years back was even dubbed a "Paddle-Pedal Party."

Ultimately, as I've written to this list (forgive me for hammering away), it
would be wonderful to have Outdoor Activity Centers. OACs (pronounced
"oaks") would have paddling and pedaling as core active recreational
programming, but also a climbing wall, community garden, telescope parties,
etc. All right on the greenway!

Our greenways are wonderful transit systems, but sterile. A system of OACs
would fill the gap between Rec Centers and Greenways and the NYC Water
Trail. More people would come to the water in all seasons (winter astronomy
is especially rewarding), and our individual days would be more varied.

The executive director of the City Parks Foundation wrote to me that this
idea appeals to him. Now it's a matter of money -- no surprise.

Best regards,

Erik Baard, Founder
LIC Community Boathouse



On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 12:14 PM, Rick Horan <RickHoran at gatewayboathouse.org
> wrote:

> Dear Gateway Bike & Boathouse Supporter,
>
> Positive things are happening!   The purpose of this e-mail is to provide a
> brief update on some water access initiatives currently being worked on by
> the Gateway Bike & Boathouse (GB&B).
>
> While we continue our efforts to get at least one facility up and running
> in
> time for the 2010 season, we have found that there is a leadership role we
> need to fill as water access advocates here in Rockaway.  Support of water
> access is not the no-brainer you might have imagined.
>
> Towards this end, the GB&B is working closely with the Rockaway Waterfront
> Alliance (RWA) in a newly formed committee of the RWA called, the Rockaway
> Waterfront Planning Coalition (RWPC).  This group will consist of Rockaway
> civic organizations, advocacy groups such as the Gateway Bike & Boathouse,
> interested individuals and other stakeholders who see value in creating a
> shared vision for the waterfront on the entire Rockaway peninsula.
>
> You may have heard that the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and the
> Department of Transportation (DOT) had approved $9 million for the 2010
> fiscal budget for the purpose of doing something creative with the bay wall
> between Beach 125th St. and Beach 130th St.  The Metropolitan Waterfront
> Alliance (MWA) was to coordinate community input this fall to determine
> what
> the design should look like.  Unfortunately, this project has been
> temporarily put on hold, so no community meetings have been scheduled as of
> this time.
>
> The GB&B is supporting a couple of initiatives designed to help get this
> bay
> wall project back on track, one is called  <
> http://www.belleharborcove.org/>
> www.BelleHarborCove.org.  On this site you can see a professional
> rendering
> of one idea as to how water access can be achieved in a small, attractive,
> neighborhood setting.  Take a moment to visit the site and leave a comment.
> Next week (12/1/09), the GB&B will launch its own site,
> <http://www.rockawaywithoutwalls.org/> www.RockawayWithoutWalls.org.  "Mr.
> Bloomberg, tear down this wall!"   This site has been designed to provide a
> public forum on the subject of water access, share ideas and provide facts
> and figures that will help residents shape a common vision for improving
> Rockaway's waterfront.
>
> The Gateway Bike & Boathouse has a meeting scheduled with the new Unit
> Coordinator for the Jamaica Bay Unit of Gateway in early December to talk
> about how we can work together in making a Riis Landing facility a reality.
> By the way, Gateway National Recreation Area has begun a three-year study
> to
> determine the future direction of the Park.  Please take a moment to let
> them know how important water access is to you.   Comment Online at:
> http://parkplanning.nps.gov <http://parkplanning.nps.gov/>    First,
> Select
> a Park (Gateway NRA) then click on General Management Plan.
>
> New York City Department of Parks and Recreation has been very cooperative
> regarding possible launch sites in Rockaway.  Unfortunately all of the
> proposed sites are all on the eastern end of the peninsula where we do not
> yet have volunteers.   We are confident however that in years to come there
> will be several bike and boathouses scattered along Rockaway's 10+ miles of
> bay front.   Finally, we will fight to get rid of the ridiculous regulation
> that prevents kayakers from launching from Rockaway beaches, effectively
> cutting off access to the Atlantic Ocean.
>
> Please let me know if you have any questions, comments or ideas.  I will
> try
> to get these updates out more frequently in the future.  Thanks for your
> patience and support!
>
> Best regards,
>
> Rick
>
> Rick Horan, President
> Gateway Bike & Boathouse, Inc.
> Paddle and Pedal in Rockaway Beach
> A not-for-profit 501(c)(3)
> 718-530-0040
> RickHoran at GatewayBoathouse.org
>
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-- 
Erik Baard
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