Best Practices for Promoting Safe Public Access to Human-Powered Boating in New York City
Best Practices for Promoting Safe Public Access to Human-Powered Boating in New York City A planning tool for public agencies, waterfront property owners, site managers, and community groups to use when selecting, developing, and operating public access sites. May 2013 Michael R. Bloomberg Mayor Courtesy Ben Solomon NYC Kayak Championships 1 INTRODUCTION Courtesy Ben Solomon, NYC Kayak Championships New York Harbor is the cleanest it has been Department of Environmental Conservation in more than 100 years, and New York City’s water quality classifications, harbor traffic, and waterfront is experiencing a transformative security zones. resurgence with renewed interest for recreation The City recognizes that with the potential for and access to the water in part due to the bil- increased recreational use by the general pop- lions of dollars that the City has invested in ulation it must promote a safe and enjoyable water quality improvements. The public’s inter- environment across public access sites city- est in using the city’s waterways is evident in wide and for different boater skill levels. Individ- the thriving network of human-powered boaters ual boaters are ultimately responsible for their and many boat launches that are already avail- own health and safety, but a robust, established able for public use. network of human-powered boaters provides From 2013 through 2015, three new city funded valuable boater education within the commu- access points will be available for launching nity. This document describes different types of human powered boats. The City will continue conditions along the waterfront, ideal conditions to promote the expansion of public access for human-powered boating, and precaution- and open new sites along the waterfront, con- ary measures that should be taken depending sistent with the goals of PlaNYC, the NYC on existing site conditions.
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