COMMUNITY WATER SPORTS CENTER

he Center for Community Water Sports

Making Boating and Water Sports available to All

The Center for Community Water Sports is a community based not-for-profit organization that seeks to make the region’s waterfront and all its on-the-water activities available to the general public with special emphasis to include the youth, the disadvantaged, and the physically and mentally challenged.

As opposed to the gated and locked marinas and yacht clubs, we provide a place and a number of programs where everyone is welcome and urged to participate. We are not in competition with other providers, rather our role is to be facilitators. To bring together the potential users and the providers. To let the public in general public know what is available and how to take advantage of it and get involved.

About Us

The Center for Community Water Sports is operated by the Great Lakes Water Sport Institute, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation As such we are able to accept donations that qualify for tax credits. Several of our boats and much of our hardware have been donated thru this program and we are always looking more that we can use.

Our operations are guided by a Board of Advisors, volunteers representing a wide range of water sports interests, community based organizations, and community service providers. The Boards mission is to identify community needs and desires and suggest programs to satisfy the need. It is also instrumental in recruiting and coordinating providers and volunteers who can meet the program needs. The meetings are open and your input is welcome.

Though starting small our vision is clear. We know what can be done because it has been done elsewhere. With a bit of work, some great volunteers, and some vision by our elected officials it will become a reality.

The Vision

The Center for Community Water Sportsâ seeks to meet the needs of all children, youth, families, and individuals in the greater Buffalo area, who have not been able to enjoy their waterfront for generations. We need a central location where a child can go to play in the sand, or learn to swim, or row a boat. Where a youngster can learn to sail, race, and compete with other youngsters. A place that can be home to high school teams and college teams, maybe even some will aspire to the Olympics. The Center will provide a place to learn SCUBA diving, marine ecology, water-skiing, and boat building, and so much more. A place to become home and serve as a meeting space for various clubs and not-for-profits promoting fishing, boating safety, disabled water sports, kite surfing, and more. The Center would serve as a place where local schools can have a waterfront presence to offer courses and experience in maritime traditions. A place where a paraplegic can wheel his chair down to his boat and go out fishing. And last but not least, a place where a family can go and just enjoy a great summer day in the sun, watching the boats and enjoying all the activities and events.

We envision just such a place on the Buffalo Waterfront.

The Proposed Facility

Last summer we operated out of the Inner Harbor utilizing space on their handicapped accessible dock.

We are currently looking for a permanant location in the Buffalo Waterfront to complement and centralize our future activities for 2010 and beyond.

We are currently submitting a two phase proposal for development of the Center for Community Water Sports. The first phase is a relatively low cost R&R of an existing building with some extension of the dock and development of the shallow shoreline. It will serve the needs of the community during the time the organization and operation grow into itself and significant programs are organized and started. Assuming the programs are successful and the programs outgrow the facility, a new purpose built building will be built as a phase 2. This growing phase will afford enough time to assess the success of the project and find appropriate funding.

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The Proposed Programs

A broad list of the types of programs we hope to facilitate and develop follows. This list is by no means all inclusive. We invite anyone with an idea to suggest it. We will support anyone who volunteers to start or staff a program if it’s within our realm to do so. Many of the programs are or will be operated out of our facility however some are already operating successfully in other places and are included here for reference. As programs get underway and become a reality, they will have their own web page with full descriptions and details.

Boating – general

Safe boating classes
On the water boat handling classes
Navigation classes
Maintenance how-to classes and lectures
Boat rental
Provide recreational opportunities for the mentally and physically challenged

Sailing

Junior sailing classes and on-the-water training
Advanced sailing
Racing lessons
On-the-water racing experience
High school and College team racing
Navigation and Cruising classes
Certification classes
Local rental and charter opportunities
Group charters to exotic places

SCUBA

First dive – an orientation class
Training and certification classes from beginner to advanced and technical
Equipment rental
Group dives
Local charters
Dive excursions to warm places

Fishing

Lessons and local knowledge
Rental boats and equipment
Local fishing contests
Junior fishing camp
Seminars by the experts
Charter opportunities

Water Skiing

Lessons
Show skiing opportunities
Competition training and practice opportunities
Rental boat and equipment
Tubing and wakeboard training

Wind Surfing/Kite Surfing

Training
Rental equipment
Organized and sanctioned races and events

Jet ski

Training
Rental equipment
Certification courses
Organized events

Swimming

Open water training
Supervised training area
Participation in organized events

Ecology

Classes on marine ecology and habitat
Field trips to study and sample

Boat building and maritime sciences

Boatbuilding – Build the boats we sail in summer
Repair and re-construction
Adapt existing boats to special and handicapped uses
Fabricate the special equipment needed by people with special needs
Build-renovate-restore-maintain a tall ship or other historically significant vessel

Adaptive water sports – All the activities listed must be made available to the physically handicapped to the full extent of their abilities

Provide boats specially built for handicapped needs
Adapt existing boats and equipment for use by the handicapped
Adapt facilities for easy access and safe operation by the handicapped. It is not enough to take them for a ride. They must have the freedom to take themselves for a ride
Provide the proper supervision and support to ensure safe operation

We need committee members to attend meetings and help guide the organization

We need volunteers who will help with the programs and share their knowledge and experience.

We need donations of boats, equipment, or the money to purchase them. The donations can be permanent or just a lending for a while

We need sponsors to help us defray costs and gain recognition as helping a good cause.

Most of all we need clients who come down and use the facilities and participate in the programs.

For more information contact

Tom Nowak

716- 553-7670

[email protected]