Changing course: Kayak-launch project Becomes chamber effort
Published 2:07 am Sunday, April 12, 2015
The effort to build a kayak launch at the Havens Gardens boat ramps is now a project of the Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce Foundation, according to a city document.
The agenda for the City Council’s meeting Monday includes memorandum concerning the kayak launch. The memorandum indicates the foundation is seeking funds for the project from the Jonathan Havens Charitable Trust.
Previously, the city sought up to $10,000 funding from the Adopt-A-Trails grant program to build a kayak launch at the Havens Gardens site, and it was approved to receive a grant for that project. Before the city received the funds, those funds were no longer made available through the program to complete that project and other projects the grant program had approved for funding.
The foundation is working with the city’s parks and recreation division and other organizations such as the Blue Trail project to move forward with building the kayak launch. The boat ramps were renovated by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission several years ago.
The launch area would be an access point to the Tar-Pamlico Blue Trail and connect two existing trails.
In other business, the City Council will consider approving an agreement to allow SeaTow OBX (formerly SeaTow Pamlico) to use city docking facilities. The agreement covers the period from April 1 to March 31, 2016.
“During the past year, SeaTow OBX has been an invaluable resource to the Waterfront Docks Division, giving advice and assistance to the staff and boaters alike,” reads a memorandum from Rick Brass, the city’s dock master, to the mayor and council members. “Dock attendants have requested logs be removed from the docks on an average of once per month via worker order and other times when Larry Williams, (SeaTow OBX) owner, was on site.”
The council also will consider approving a new agreement concerning the docking of the Belle of Washington along the city’s waterfront. The proposed agreement is the same as the existing agreement between the city and the cruise/party ship’s owner.
The council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the Council Chambers in the Municipal Building, 102 E. Second St. To view the council’s agenda for a specific meeting, visit the city’s website at www.washingtonnc.gov, click “Government” then “City Council” heading, then click “Meeting Agendas” on the menu to the right. Then click on the date for the appropriate agenda.