By DON CUDDY
doncuddy@s-t.com
November 16, 2009 12:00 AM
Published on SouthCoastToday.com
NEW BEDFORD - New Bedford has reached an agreement with a nonprofit group in Greater Boston, Community Rowing Inc., to develop a rowing program on the Acushnet River that will be open to area residents and public school students of all ages.
“There has been tremendous growth in the sport in recent years,” Mayor Scott W. Lang said in welcoming the agreement. “If you look at the upper harbor and the river, we have a natural resource here that is unique. We have been working for some time now to take advantage of our natural attributes, and this is another ingredient in the economic redevelopment and cleanup of the river.”
The city hopes to work with CRI to develop rowing as both a recreational activity and as an organized sport, with a view to possibly hosting regattas in the future, the mayor said. “CRI is a top-flight organization, and they will be invaluable in getting this program established.”
Community Rowing was started in the 1980s by rowers from the U.S. national team as a way to introduce rowing to the general public, Ryan Banks, director of operations for the nonprofit said. The organization is dedicated to the belief that rowing promotes “personal and community growth through teamwork, discipline, and physical fitness,” according to its mission statement.
“We have a full program for people of all ages and abilities, including adaptive rowing,” Banks said. “We had 1,700 people rowing this year.”
Membership in the club, which has a boathouse on the Charles River in Brighton, is open to all, he said. “If you sign up for a program, you can become a member.” Community Rowing offers an introductory class that runs for seven weeks for $95.
“The sessions are twice a week for about an hour and a half. That allows people to discover whether rowing is something they are really interested in pursuing,” Banks said. “Teamwork is a huge part of it.”
On Nov. 2, Community Rowing was named as USRowing’s Club of the Year from among more than 1,000 member organizations across the country.
According to Matthew Morrissey of the New Bedford Economic Development Council, Community Rowing will be the managing partner in a collaboration that includes the city, the Harbor Development Commission, the NBEDC and Community Boating in New Bedford.
“This is a phased project,” Morrissey said. “Community Rowing will help to design a program and attract funding. There is tremendous potential here to develop intramural programs in schools as well as walk up programs.”
Creating a crew course for four- and eight-person rowing shells is also envisaged, he said.
“Regattas will attract people to come and stay in the city,” Morrissey said.
In addition, Phase Two of the redevelopment of the Fairhaven Mills site includes plans for a boathouse and related facilities just north of Interstate 195.
“It’s part of the design for the repurposing of what was once an industrial waterway,” Morrissey said. Eventually, Community Boating will take over responsibility for the rowing program, he added.
Mayor Lang said that the program should become operational by next spring. “We already have some of the infrastructure,” he said. “The Seaport Inn and Marina in Fairhaven has already installed launching facilities.”
A press event has been scheduled for Thursday at the CRI boathouse to formally announce the agreement.
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On April 1st, CRI will once again host the “April Fools Monster Launch Rodeo”! Past favorites such as the low wake race, and the “Big Turn” will return, as well as new events, such as a “Seat Racing Switch” (still looking for a clever name for that one)
