Boat docks

jspeer · Guru

Boat docks

Date: Sun Mar 20 2:04 PM, 2005

I live in NT and I think Lockport needs to wake up. You can have the concerts and the boaters too if you would give them a better product. The boating industry has grown by more than 4 times since the 70's. You need to get them to your city. Look at how it has helped the economy in the surounding areas.

Mindcrime · Guru

Like the City of Niagara Falls, Lockport doesn't take advantage of it's environmental attributes. There is a nice bike path along some of the canal, but they could do so much more. A little cleaning up and construction and they could have new business, tourism, parties, concerts, etc. Wide waters is a start, but it's on the outskirts. same goes for the locks. If they would just develop it the canalside, expand on it, they could bring the city to life again.

jspeer · Guru

Another summer and still no boat docks in Lockport's business district. We should just fill it in with concrete if we're not going to prosper from it. We need to use what we've got to save Lockport. Stupid Gov't needs to end. Boaters + docks = Tourists w/ money... why's it so hard to figure out?

Date: Thu Aug 4 8:42 AM, 2005

how can the city put docks in the business district?????

maybe the state could take down the locks and widen the canal where it comes through the business district and provide dockage for transient boaters, after all they own this property NOT the city.while they are at it they could install elevators to get the boaters up and down from water level.

the city has a marina with limited facilities now. with a little upgrading maybe it could be as nice as the others you listed. Are the powers that be apply for canal corridor grants for something like this?????

jspeer · Guru

Anonymous wrote:

how can the city put docks in the business district?????
maybe the state could take down the locks and widen the canal where it comes through the business district and provide dockage for transient boaters, after all they own this property NOT the city.while they are at it they could install elevators to get the boaters up and down from water level.
the city has a marina with limited facilities now. with a little upgrading maybe it could be as nice as the others you listed. Are the powers that be apply for canal corridor grants for something like this?????

People like you are what put this city in the stone age. Last time I checked there was a nice huge vacant lot right next to Garlocks to build a place for boaters... and as for the elevator we'll buy that once we start to prosper from the boaters money. Think outside the box...you'll amaze yourself with what you learn.

Date: Thu Aug 4 9:49 PM, 2005

it's not about going backwards, it's about using what is already here. there is a "marina" in the city already. why build a secondary facility when there already is a usable spot in place?? a little updating and what is already there would be outstanding. Want to go to main street, get on the trolley, or if there is demand maybe start a shuttle to bring visitors up to downtown. we could use the money that would be spent for elevators to run the shuttle.

besides, the property you suggest is possibly now under control of the DOT. check the tax rolls, it's not listed anywhere as municiple or private property.

Scott Leffler · Guru

If memory serves me correctly, the city owns it.

kspeer · Senior Member

Widewaters is very shallow and the docks that are available for transient dockage are short. I don't think power and water are available either. Boaters prefer to go to places where they can walk to shops and restaurants from the boat. Plus they like to be able to keep an eye on it from a distance.

Date: Fri Aug 5 2:28 PM, 2005

dockage there now is limited, but deep enough for almost all boats that travel the canal system, take a look at the depth when they drain it this fall. they could easily add more dock space. electric, water, gas, ice, and bathroom facilities have all been availible at one time and could be made avalible again.the building that is there could easily become a tourist info. location. how could you shop or eat downtown and watch your boat if it was docked at windmill terrace? too far below grade to see anything from the surrounding streets anyway.

again why would the city pay to duplicate a facility it already has?? cheaper,easier, and more logical to keep it where it is and find a way to upgrade and update what is already a beautiful area.

kspeer · Senior Member

Ok, but why not clean up that hillside, throw in a little ampitheater into the hillside, some landscaping, some cleats, power, and a water source. And ta-da, something that looks nice, is useful, and becomes a destination?

You don't even need the power and water really. Just the cleats. It's just an idea for a crappy looking patch of land to be made into something. It is the first thing you see when you enter Lockport from the West and it's a damn shame!

Also, in order to get to Widewaters from the West, you have to go through the locks and pay$$$$$ Some people would just like to take a short little weekend jaunt and not have to deal with all that. There are an awful lot of boats in Lake Erie and the upper Niagara. You would think that our downtown businesses would be pushing for this kind of traffic.

I just don't know any boaters who stay at Widewaters. If they are going to deal with the whole lock hassle, they all go to Middleport where they are welcomed with open arms!

Date: Fri Aug 5 7:47 PM, 2005

if you are going to middleport from the west don't you have to go through the locks anyway????

your other thoughts are all great and something does need to be done with that area, but this thread started with the suggestion of a marina downtown so that's the topic i was going with. all the things you suggested could be done at widewaters too