Row New York’s old home is new again! On Friday, September 2nd, rowers, coaches, staff, and friends of Row New York all pitched in to move the program into its new boathouse. Boats, oars, ergs, cox boxes, tool kits, and many more items were transported to the newly renovated and cleaned facility on the east side of Flushing Meadows Corona Park’s Meadow Lake.
The Row New York team got to work in the morning, emptying the former boathouse on the lake’s west side. The girls clamored into the barges and rowed them to their new docks. Boats made the trip by trailer and ergs made the journey in vans. The enthusiasm and excitement lasted all day and into the afternoon and evening.
Everyone looks forward to enjoying the boathouse’s many new amenities when on-water practice begins this week. The building features an airy, sunlit erg room, a small kitchenette, spacious entryways, locker rooms, two full boat bays, and a wide, wooden deck leading to the docks. And the boathouse walls boast plenty of space for future regatta medals and trophies!
A big thank you is in order for the people who made this day – and the use of this new boathouse – possible: Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski, Flushing Meadows Corona Park Commissioner Estelle Cooper, Meira Berkower and Matt Symons from the Parks Department, Paul Smith of Focus Tool & Engineering, and Pierre Morita for his expert dock-building services.
And a huge thank you to Queens Borough President Helen Marshall for funding the renovation.
