Earlier today I spent a couple of hours roaming around the Outer Harbor, catching up with some of the newest advancements taking place at the Sail Buffalo compound. The multifaceted project is run by Captain Pierre Wallinder, and features a number of earth and sail friendly attributes. One of the most recent additions to the property is the Margaret L. Wendt Sailing and Science Pavilion.
The building, featuring pine interior and hemlock exterior, was built under the watchful eye of General Contractor Salvatore Capizzi. The center features radiant heat floors, recessed lighting, and enough solar panels (CIR Electric) to generate electricity for the entire compound.
The property is now outfitted with all utilities, meaning that it can be used for year round activities. The Greenway Commission earmarked funds to purchase and install the solar power.
Now that the building is nearing completion, Pierre is working on establishing relationships with like-minded schools in the area, including the Buffalo Academy of Science, which paid a visit to the sailing school mere hours ago.
The center also functions as a Junior Sailing Center in July and August, and an interpretive center dedicated to Pierre’s late son, Christian.
The interpretive center will have a fish tank with indigenous fish, and will be in harmony with much of the rest of the environmental programming, including planting indigenous plants and trees, as well as tending to raised vegetable gardens. The vegetables grown in the raised beds and the neighboring greenhouse will ultimately be sold at a “Veggie Bar” by the SUN (Students Understand Nutrition) students who will be tending to the beds.
Aside from the Sailing and Science Pavilion, Pierre also toured me around the “fisherman-designed” and Amish built arts and crafts/entrepreneurial huts.
The sturdy hemlock huts (three out of six have been built), will serve as a sail loft, a ship’s library and trading post, and an arts and crafts center. Outside of the huts, a massive dead tree has been hand carved by “Cuzen”, and another dead tree standing nearby is about to get a similar artistic treatment. According to Pierre, it’s important that young people enjoy artistic surroundings as well as healthy living in the great “seaside” outdoors.
A new boat ramp has been installed (under the particle board), which offers the sailing students more access to the water and additional opportunities to get out onto the water. The ramp will be used for Sunfish and dinghy sailing classes and races. Racks for the small crafts will be built this summer.
Finally, Pierre is in the midst of promoting an IndieGoGo crowd funding campaign that will allow visitors to rent an Aquabus for a couple of hours or for the day. The Rupp Foundation has offered up a $12,000 challenge grant to jumpstart the funding initiative. The Aquabus will be run by solar power that will provide power to an electric engine. Pierre feels that the Aquabus will complement the existing Water Taxi and the Bike-Ped Ferry (coming soon).
It’s refreshing to see so much action taking hold at this Outer Harbor parcel of waterfront land. Once all of these new components are in place, they will help to supplement the rest of the crucial programming and creative endeavors that are already underway at the compound (see here).
This summer, be sure to add Sail Buffalo to you list of places to visit. It’s directly across from the Inner Harbor, at the front entranceway to the Buffalo lighthouse (public)/Coast Guard(private) property. The site is accessible by bike, boat or car. More updates will be coming soon, as additional projects come to fruition.