City of New York Parks & Recreation

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City of New York Parks & Recreation Committee on Waterfronts Oversight - Improving Public Recreational Boating Access in the New York City Waterfront November 24, 2009 Testimony by Dorothy

bringing new recreational opportunities to the waterfront. As an avid kayaker, this mission has been both a personal passion of mine and a critical project for Parks.

In an historic, unprecedented way, we are building new parks along the waterfront, linking them with greenways, and creating and expanding a wide array of waterfront-related programs.

1 City of New York Parks & Recreation Committee on Waterfronts Oversight - Improving Public Recreational Boating Access in the New York City Waterfront November 24, 2009 Testimony by Dorothy Lewandowski Queens Borough Commissioner Keith Kerman Assistant Commissioner for Operations INTRODUCTION I am thrilled to have the chance to speak with you to give you an update on Parks work in bringing new recreational opportunities to the waterfront. As an avid kayaker, this mission has been both a personal passion of mine and a critical project for Parks. As you all know well, this Administration is committed to enhancing the waterfront and increasing public access. In an historic, unprecedented way, we are building new parks along the waterfront, linking them with greenways, and creating and expanding a wide array of waterfront-related programs. Today, Commissioner Kerman and I would like to share our successes with you. NEW YORK CITY WATER TRAIL Most recently, we announced the creation of the New York City Water Trail. Although we ve always been welcoming to kayakers, canoers, and users of small watercraft, when we last testified in 2006, we hadn t yet developed a cohesive water trail. For example, the Parks website cited a random listing of 13 locations where someone could safely land or launch a canoe or kayak. At the same time as we were taking stock of our own resources, organizations such as Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance reached out to us as did numerous community groups who were asking to host waterfront events and programs. We saw that there was a need for a comprehensive plan, and that we should be able to tell people about legal ways to enter the water improving both public access and water safety. After researching models throughout the United States, we embarked on a project to create a citywide water trail system and informational guide for non-motorized watercrafts, such as kayaks, canoes and rowboats. A formal water trail could expose people to the enjoyment of safe, easy paddling with minimal impact to the environment. The trail is a network of public access points linked by water with published guides to help paddlers with navigation and route planning. Just as with the greenway initiative that was expanding across the city, we wanted to encourage safe recreational waterfront usage throughout the five boroughs of New York City. 1

2 The formal Water Trail was a community-led effort. During the development process, I was able to travel many segments of the trail, meeting dozens of partnering organizations and hundreds of volunteers along the way. Community-based kayak/canoe clubs and organizations helped us gather information on safety tips and details about each site including on-site eateries, points of interest, bathrooms, and available parking. Today, the Water Trail Map and Guide identifies 38 locations for small watercraft launches and landings throughout the city. In this effort, we were pleased to partner with Going Coastal, Inc., a nonprofit, educational and publishing organization formed to ensure sustainable coastal living by raising awareness of the coast s immense value and importance of stewardship. I m happy to share the guide with you, and you can also find it on our website by visiting You can also find copies of the guide at locations throughout the city, including tourism offices, thruway centers, health clubs, concierges, canoe and kayak clubs, and at Parks borough offices, marinas, and boathouses. The Water Trail Map and Guide doesn t just inform the public on where to access the water. It also gives information about the 21 canoe and kayak clubs and organizations that offer water programs for the general public. These clubs and organizations have been essential in offering free public programming to New Yorkers and water enthusiasts everywhere. I d like to mention just a few of our partners. In the Bronx, The Bronx River Alliance s Bronx River Flotillas and newly formed community paddles have put more than a thousand people on the water. The community paddles launched eager novice paddlers from Fort Knox, River Park, and the newly opened Concrete Plant Park. Just a few weeks ago, on Halloween, they hosted the first Thriller on the River, where paddlers in costume enjoyed the fall foliage from the water. Rocking the Boat, a not-for-profit group, has partnered with us at Hunts Point Riverside Park and other locations along the Bronx River to provide on-water and boatbuilding education. In Queens, on the East River, the Long Island City Community Boathouse offers free kayaking in Astoria on the sheltered waters of Hallet s Cove at Socrates Sculpture Park beach. They also offer Cinema Paddles, a relaxing trip to see a film at Socrates Sculpture Park while enjoying the sunset, Manhattan skyline, and local sights. And at Meadow Lake in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Row New York trains more than 300 girls each year in rowing and life skills, giving them tools to gain self-confidence and pursue higher education. In Manhattan, on the shores of the Hudson River, The Downtown Boathouse provides programming at 8 locations and had 28,086 paddlers participate in 2009, 13 percent more than the year before. They introduced Demo-Day Embayment Kayaking on Governors Island, DUMBO Cove in Brooklyn and Central Park Lake. The program introduced their free public programming to paddlers in different locations. In Brooklyn, on Jamaica Bay, the Sebago Canoe Club has trained thousands of paddlers. The Sebago Canoe Club is a Parks concession and a cultural, educational and recreational resource for New York City small boat enthusiasts. They have a 75-year history and continue to attract scores of members. They serve the community with programs 2

3 including biweekly kayak trips on the bay and metro area inter-club invitational events. They also offer a Wounded Warrior program in cooperation with the VA Hospital in Fort Hamilton. This is a national sports program that offers disabled vets the opportunity to kayak. In Staten Island, in the Lower New York Bay, Kayak Staten Island had more than 1,500 paddlers during the 2009 season. They helped organized the Staten Island Senior Olympics and the Staten Island Youth Court Program. While I m proud of the Water Trail, it is just a part of the larger world of boating recreation that the Parks Department has overseen and expanded. Commissioner Kerman will give you an update on our marinas. MARINAS Parks serves more than 3,500 recreational boaters at our 14 City-managed marinas and mooring locations. Three of those locations, 79 th Street Boat Basin, Sheepshead Bay and World s Fair Marina, are managed internally, while the other 11 are operated through concession agreements. Each of the three Parks-operated marinas has seen tremendous growth during this Administration. Our in-house managed marinas bring in $2.3 million in revenue each year and are completely financially self-sufficient. Revenue has increased 72 percent in the last eight years. We continue to make improvements to each of our marinas. In 2009, we restored 40 recreational slips at the World s Fair Marina, right next to CitiField. We have available space now at the Marina and will be promoting for new boating customers this spring. Parks also supports commercial charter boats, including this year s Water Taxi ferry for the US Open, Mets games, and the Paul McCartney concerts. The World s Fair Marina is also home to several not-for-profit water programs. The American Small Craft Association (TASCA) offers two 18-week sailing courses for free to 70 city residents each year. The Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy also offers educational programs from World s Fair Marina. A half-dozen dragon boat club teams practice and race from World s Fair Marina s three times a week as well. Through improved coordination of existing slips, we have greatly increased transient, daily, recreational boating access at the 79 th Street Boat Basin in Riverside Park. Revenues from transient boating have gone up 300 percent in the last eight years and more than 800 boaters tie up each year for short term visits at Parks most in-demand marina. Parks is exploring opportunities to increase the number of slips at the Boat Basin as well as to provide improved wave attenuation. This summer, we piloted our first recreational dock-and-dine slip at the Sheepshead Bay piers in Brooklyn. Sheepshead Bay Piers traditionally serve recreational charter and fishing boats, though we do serve more than 100 recreational vessels in the Sheepshead Bay mooring field. We will maintain the dock-and-dine recreational dock in

4 And since we last spoke in front of this committee in 2006, we have continued to develop an extensive programming component to all of our boating marinas. This year, more than 2,000 young people participated in programs where they learned about boats and the marine environment with our City dockmasters and toured historical vessels such as Clearwater. Our programs have included Open Marina Days, Meet the Dockmaster, a Celebration of the Clearwater, Fishing Days, and our first Haunted Marina Halloween event. In addition to the 3 Parks-run marinas, we oversee the operation of 11 concessioned marinas and 2 mooring fields that provide boating opportunities in all five boroughs. Along with vessel dockage, moorage, winter storage and repair, our concessioned marinas offer a range of waterbased activities to the public that include small outboard motor boat rentals, designated fishing areas, bait & tackle shops, blessing of the fleet ceremonies and other community-oriented events. As important, we are making great strides in creating a greener and safer waterfront. We are working with the Municipal Waterfront Alliance to pilot the concept of Eco-docks. These would be neighborhood boating docks that could support educational programming, special events, and recreational hand-powered boating. The first such dock is funded for the Veterans Memorial Pier at 69 th Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, thanks to funding allocated by Council Member Gentile. Parks is looking at other locations for these docks, including Dyckman Marina in upper Manhattan. In the last few years, Parks has supported many educational vessels including Clearwater, Reach the World, the Waterpod Project this summer, the Science Barge, Polar explorer Robert Swan s Voyage for Cleaner Energy and many others. We also work closely with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and Going Coastal to support green practices on the water. Parks offers free boat pump-out stations at seven of our marinas. The Boat Basin received Going Coastal s first Clean Marina award in 2006 for its commitment to environmental stewardship. WATER SAFETY It s important to keep all our waterfront users safe, whether they re paddling a small craft or steering a large recreational vessel. My division created safety signage at each of the marinas and kayak/canoe launch sites explaining the rules and regulations of the waterway. We have developed our rules by keeping safety in mind and also soliciting comments from experienced paddlers and canoe and kayak clubs. By taking their opinions into consideration, paddlers feel safer, and feel like the city has an interest in the waterfront and in their sport. Moreover, you can t be out on a boat without knowing how to swim. Parks has made it a priority to get young swimmers into the water, partnering with the Department of Education on two programs. The Learn to Swim program gives thousands of young New Yorkers access to free swim instruction, and our Swim to Safety program teaches kids how to avoid drowning. With this knowledge, children can take to the water. These programs will save lives and in some cases, it may foster a love of the water in children who may not have previously had the resources or inclination to pursue aquatic recreation. As our facilities and initiatives for boaters demonstrate, this administration has made a commitment to making our waterways paramount in the daily lives of many New Yorkers. 4

5 Commissioner Lewandowski will discuss some of the other programs we are pursuing throughout our agency. WATERFRONT PROGRAMS Our Urban Park Rangers are leading providers of waterfront education program. Their Explorer Programs help connect New Yorkers to their waterfront resources and encourage them to explore city parks in new and exciting ways. The Rangers lead about 125 canoeing, fishing and other waterfront Explorer Programs each year, servicing approximately 1,875 people. Our Rangers focus in particular on youth education. Our Adventure Programs include fishing, canoeing, and orienteering and, if the group desires, overnight camping. This summer, Rangers led 37 waterfront Adventure Programs for 828 young people. Rangers also run four park-based summer day camps at waterfront Nature Centers around the City. Called the Junior Ranger Summer Day Camp, the camps include weekly waterfront activities such as canoeing, fishing, and seining. Children enrolled in the camp come from low income communities around the City and include visually impaired and autistic children. In 2009, 241 children registered for the Junior Rangers Summer Day Camp. We are also partnering with the community to increase the diversity of our waterfront users. Over the next four years, City Parks Foundation and Parks are working together through the Partnerships for Parks Catalyst Initiative to build community involvement in three large waterfront parks: Soundview Park in the Bronx, East River Park in Manhattan, and Calvert Vaux and Kaiser Parks in Brooklyn. The initiative aims to build interest in park destinations, and to connect local residents to regional parks, so that they may access new recreational and educational opportunities. RIVERSIDE PARK So how does this all come together? An example may be found at Riverside Park and the west side of Manhattan, where we have developed a significant and diverse array of active recreation through capital projects, greenways, marina improvements, and public programs. As you may know, at Riverside Park, and along the Hudson River, we have been hard at work developing a greenway that will extend the entire length of Manhattan. The last link in that project is an extension over the river known as Riverwalk, being built from 83 rd Street to 91 st Street. A design and engineering challenge, we anticipate its completion in In 2008, the waterfront sections of Riverside Park South were completed, which new parkland is stretching from 72 nd to 59 th Streets. North of that, we ve built the long-awaited West Harlem Piers Park, an award-winning design, built in partnership with EDC in accordance with their West Harlem Master Plan. And, of course, we are not only building new waterfront parks and greenways, we are making sure that they are centerpieces of the neighborhood and a destination for water enthusiasts. There are two sites in the park on the New York City Water Trail, both at 72 nd Street and at the 79 th Street Boat Basin. And as Commissioner Kerman discussed earlier, the Boat Basin itself is thriving, with more boaters docking and the well-attended draw of the Marina and Boat Basin Cafe concession. 5

6 On top of all of that, Riverside Park is a premier destination for educational, athletic, and cultural programming. More than 17,000 people a year attend the summer-long "Summer on the Hudson" programming series. There was a citywide fishing festival at the newly opened West Harlem Piers Park, where we also hosted the Waterpod Project, which showcases sustainable living. Also on the natural education front, the Science Barge, which is a sustainable learning craft, was hosted at Riverside Park South Pier I. And I m proud to say that free kayaking is offered at Riverside Park in partnership with Downtown Boathouse. All told, tens of thousands of people come to Riverside Park regularly to walk, bike, dine, kayak, sunbathe, or take in events. CONCLUSION Whether at Riverside Park, or Hallet s Cove in my borough of Queens, or Barretto Point Park in the Bronx, or any of a number of places throughout the city, we are creating and expanding upon waterfront recreation destinations. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent on developing new waterfront parks and greenways, which we then hope to link to the New York City Water Trail. The Water Trail Association (WTA) has been formed, which consists of individuals representing the various paddling organizations throughout the five boroughs. We will add launch and landing sites to the trail, develop educational programming, and promote environmental and safety awareness among our paddlers. We see this as part of the future of New York City s waterfronts. We have come a long way, and we are committed to our vision to improve, enhance the development and creation of waterfront opportunities for neighborhoods throughout the city. Thank you again for giving us the chance to talk about this success story, and of course, for your continued advocacy and passion for expanding access to the waterfront. 6

Fort Hancock Sailing Center

Fort Hancock Sailing Center Response to the National Parks Service Request for Expressions of Interest to Redevelop Historic Structures at Fort Hancock in the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area Fort Hancock Sailing