This Friday, Assemblyman Kearns along with Cazenovia Community Resource Center and Sail Buffalo will announce the dedication of future site of a Community Boating Center at the US Coast Guard site near the Buffalo lighthouse. The license allowing for the boat center to operate on the site of an old foul weather inlet has already been granted by the US Coast Guard and a permit has been secured from the Army Corps of Engineers. The initial and primary goal for the project is a combination of docking for keel boats, a home base for junior sail program, a floating interpretive center, and dock space for the historic Clara Brown (see here).
It was in September of 2011 when Sail Buffalo first launched its floating classroom at Buffalo’s Outer Harbor. Since that time the programming has grown, and so has the need for additional services and amenities. Sail Buffalo, the group that currently runs the floating classroom (more details), is now proposing a series of endeavors that it hopes will capitalize on the existing waterfront assets at the abandoned US Coast Guard Foul Weather Inlet. The surrounding parcel of land was recently freed up to the public (see here).
Now that a license has been granted, Sail Buffalo is looking to expand its programming, but in order to do so the organization requires a dock system as well as a floating interpretative center. There is also a need for additional boats that can be sailed by a younger age-group so that a broader educational component can be delivered. Sail Buffalo is moving forward with an “off-the-grid” campus and programming outpost. The site perfectly lends itself to this sort of sailing activity and environmental education components.
There is already a successful element of programming found at the Outer Harbor, with the Francis Folsom Cleveland Floating Classroom (Floating Classroom) and a fleet of keel boats. This is a great start towards what has been a longstanding vision of Sail Buffalo (learn more). Sail Buffalo and its supporters have applied for funding from the Niagara River Greenway Commission and feel that along with the newly granted license, the mission is consistent with the Niagara River Greenway Guiding Principles. The securing of the Coast Guard inlet is the first step towards making the dream a reality.