A group of Niskayuna rowers are looking to alleviate tight space at a local club with plans for a new boathouse.
The Niskayuna Town Board on Thursday, July 12, held a special meeting and unanimously approved pursuing a state Department of Environmental Conservation grant for up to $10,000 to perform a feasibility study for waterfront development at the former Aqueduct House property. The town and Friends of Niskayuna Rowing would each pay $5,000 to match grant funding if awarded in the full amount. The funding would come from the town’s 2012 Mini-Grant Program.
Councilwoman Denise Murphy McGraw was absent from the meeting.
The study would target the town’s former Aqueduct House property, which was demolished last year after repairs became too costly. Supervisor Joe Landry previously estimated repairs could total about $120,000. Asbestos abatement and demolition costs were around $25,000.
“We are very excited,” Landry said. “This is something to keep this moving and to get some recommendations out of a study.”
From the onset of demolition, the Friends of Niskayuna Rowing expressed interest in building a new boathouse on the property. FNR Co-President Richard Marine read a letter of support on behalf of the group for the grant application at the Town Board meeting.
“This grant, if awarded, will provide the means necessary to continue the good work and partnership already established between the Town of Niskayuna and FNR,” Marine said. “The improvements would also benefit every one of the thousands of people that visit the park annually.”
The Niskayuna Rowing club is seeking to build a public use building with public restrooms in addition to a new boathouse. Marine said the facilities would further establish Aqueduct Park as a popular site for non-motorized boaters.
There are no sewer connections into the park, so the study would evaluate if the property would support a septic system.
“There are no public bathrooms in Aqueduct Park and it is a heavily used park for kayakers, canoers and the rowing clubs,” Marine said. “By building a building that includes public meeting space, that is a clear benefit to the folks in the town.”
He said there are around 140 rowers active during each of the three seasons and the club operates from a single bay at its boathouse. The club is looking to have more boat storage and rower development to help grow the program.
“We are way out of space,” Marine said. “We need to build a boathouse either way.”
FNR is planning to fund the vast majority of the project through fundraising efforts and securing additional grants.
Landry said the group brought the DEC grant to his attention and wanted the town to pursue it to help secure state funding. Landry said the study wouldn’t include a full design, but will lay the groundwork for the facility.
“We can then use this document to proceed further and try to get other funding for the boathouse,” Landry said. “This is the first step in heading toward putting a boathouse in Aqueduct Park.”
Landry said the grant submission date is Friday, July 20, so the town and club would work together quickly to complete the grant application.
