Boathouse Study Continues at March 3 Workshop


The National Park Service held a March 3 workshop on the future of the non-motorized boathouse zone along the Potomac River with almost 90 concerned users of the river and shoreline, including rowers and bicyclists, at the School Without Walls near the George Washington University. The four-hour meeting had attendees break into group for brainstorming. After checking each team’s points of view, NPS’s Peter May and Tammy Stidham along with Margaret Stewart of the Louis Berger Group, consultant on the project, listed some basic agreements: increase access to the shore, plan at least two new boathouses, install a parking area and restore the Washington Canoe Club.

Crew teams from Georgetown University and GW – with some local high schools – are expected to get some kind of rowing facility. The space, west of the Georgetown Waterfront Park to Key Bridge, was touted as a good spot for a boathouse; others worried about bike traffic from the Capital Crescent Trail coming into the soon-to-be busier area and the scale of any new buildings. Of particular concern to some were the protection of the Potomac Boat Club and the possible encroachment on Jack’s Boathouse which might threaten its livelihood. Comments on the NPS website will be accepted on the feasibility study until noon March 30. The NPS will complete its study and set a meeting, possibly in late September.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *