Adaptive Kayak Launch Brings Joy to Team River Runner
Following is a testimonial to the quality and superiority of the BoardSafe adaptive kayak launch that provides access for the disabled.
As a physical therapist, we routinely ask our clients what their goals are. People who experience devastating loss such as amputation or paralysis can crave to turn back time and be able to resume doing the things they love.
Our society remains full of barriers but as it becomes more apparent that 1 out of 4 persons has some form of disability, the world is slowly becoming more accessible. There is a difference between merely meeting minimum ADA compliance and meeting quality standards that are truly handi-capable. This is true with homes and businesses, restaurants, and gymnasiums, but also the great outdoors.
As I love to kayak, I can tell you there is a tremendous difference in trying to enter a kayak from the water/shore than when using an accessible kayak launch. And not all kayak launches are created equal. Beware of launches made of plastic or are not flush and graded per ADA guidelines. I have been on a few of those launches and even for an able-bodied person, it can be difficult to maneuver and inaccessible to some.
The BoardSafe accessible kayak launch in my opinion is the highest quality system I have ever seen. It is structurally strong, well thought out, and gets people with disabilities back in the water. As a member of Team River Runner, a volunteer group that gets butts into boats, we take great pride in helping people realize that they can do things such as this that they never thought they would do again. Boardsafe kayak launches provide the best tool to allow a greater population to safely experience the water, with or without help.
At Lake Nockamixon, I volunteered with a group of assisted kayakers before there was a Boardsafe launch and then again after the launch was installed. The time, manpower, and safety in getting a group into the water were unquestionably and remarkably improved. To see the joy of the group and volunteers spending time together on the water is priceless! I give BoardSafe a five-star rating and commend their efforts to promote accessibility!
Best Regards,
JoAnn Sienkiewicz
Physical Therapist
Custom BoardSafe Aluminum Floating Dock, Boat Rack, and Launches
BoardSafe recently engineered, manufactured, and installed, a custom aluminum floating dock and gangway for a private lake. The BoardSafe custom aluminum floating dock is equipped with two kayak launches. The installation also includes an attached boat rack that cantilevers out over the water, freeing up valuable deck space.
Watch this video testimonial and bird's-eye perspective of this custom BoardSafe installation:
City of Coeur d'Alene Atlas Waterfront Project
The City of Coeur d'Alene has officially purchased nearly 47 acres of Spokane River waterfront property that was the former Atlas Mill site for the inclusion of a BoardSafe adaptive kayak launch and Clip-A-Launch. The city purchased the property for $7,850,000 and the sale was recorded on May 16, 2018, making the sale official. The city began the process of purchasing the Atlas Waterfront property in May of 2017. The city purchased the property to create permanent public waterfront access and encourage economic development initiatives on the site.
The featured photo is of the BoardSafe Kayak Launch being installed in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, at Atlas Mill Waterfront Park. This system not only includes our standard launch system, but a Clip-A-Launch as well. This was BoardSafe's first project in Idaho.
The City of Coeur d'Alene is working in partnership with ignite CDA to assess all opportunities related to uses of this property and to engage the community. The City Council and ignite CDA board members have directed staff to move forward with creating a new urban renewal district, which is being referred to as the Atlas District, and to expand the River and Lake districts. A Site Analysis, Financial Feasibility Study, and Master Planning effort is underway to develop an urban renewal plan for the project. That effort is being led by Welch-Comer Engineers with sub-consultants Heartland and GGLO. City staff, ignite CDA, and elected officials have been working together to provide feedback on the analysis and to provide ample opportunities for community outreach and public involvement. Special thanks to CDA2030 and other community volunteers for making the community engagement efforts to date a success.
Here we will provide basic project information, project status updates, and when and how stakeholders and community members can get involved in sharing their thoughts on this important project.
News & Information
- ATLAS WATERFRONT NEWS LOG (Click on link for more project information and news)
- COR Vision Group
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Traffic Impact Study Frequently Asked Questions
- Property Photos - Taken June 2017
- Environmental & Geotechnical Research of Property
- Resolution No. 14-049 - A City Council resolution calling for maximization of public access to riverfront property
- City Purchases Atlas Waterfront - It's official. The 47-acre Atlas Waterfront property is now owned by the City of Coeur d'Alene! The City purchased the property for $7,850,000 and the sale was recorded on May 16th, making the sale official. The City began the process of purchasing the property in May of 2017.
BoardSafe Kayak Launch Survives Hurricane Sally
Recently, BoardSafe installed one of our adaptive kayak launches in Milton, Santa Rosa County, Florida. The project was completed 6 days before the area took a direct hit from Hurricane Sally. During the storm, they were hit with a 6-foot storm surge. After watching the news, there seemed to be little hope the dock survived, but the project contact told us, “The dock system didn’t move an inch.” This was great news for the community — one less thing they needed to worry about after the storm — and a testimony to BoardSafe's engineering and construction quality.
Grants Make Outdoor Recreation More Accessible
Adaptive and wheelchair sports have been growing dramatically over the last few years, especially with the influx of an estimated 10,000 veterans and active service members now participating in adaptive sports. The interest in the Paralympic Games has also led to sports fitness facilities built especially for wheelchair and adaptive athletes. Many state and local governments and park services are revisiting their recreational facilities and offering funding, grants, and other incentives, to plan, develop, and implement programs to open access to handicapped individuals who want to enjoy the same sports and recreational opportunities as others.
One example is the city of Reading, Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is working on a multimillion-dollar recreation plan to help cities improve their outdoor all-accessible facilities for adaptive athletes. You can read about it here.
PDCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn says, "They're cooped up at home. Perhaps they're doing their learning from home. Perhaps they're working from home. People are confined in tight spaces," Dunn said. "One thing that was deemed essential from the beginning was time outdoors."
BoardSafe is grateful to be a part of so many plans to help our handicapped citizens enjoy a fuller life.
Jacksonville, Florida, Receives Another Adaptive Kayak Launch
Another of BoardSafe's Made-in-America adaptive kayak launches has brought pleasure and renewed enthusiasm to watersport lovers in Jacksonville, Florida's, Bethesda Park. Share the excitement with this video:
BoardSafe Docks Featured in Michigan Symposium
BoardSafe Docks was on display at the Quiet Adventures Symposium, held in the Michigan State University Pavilion in East Lansing, Michigan. Part of the mission of the Quiet Water Society is to educate the public and encourage participation in non-motorized outdoor recreation.
Stephen J Fleming was on hand to talk about our Adaptive Kayak Launch and Dock Systems. We are looking forward to installing our systems throughout Michigan. Let us know if your community would be interested in a FREE site evaluation.
Applications Open for Community Organizations to Apply for Millions in Adaptive Sports Grants
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is accepting applications through March 17, 2020, for up to $15 million in grants for civic groups providing adaptive sports and therapeutic recreational opportunities to Veterans and members of the armed forces with disabilities.
BoardSafe has the experience, trust, and expertise to design, deliver, and install ADA-compliant adaptive water products for every need. Click here to read about our exclusive features.
Application instructions and eligibility information for these grants — that will help qualified organizations plan, develop, manage, and implement these programs — are available at VA Adaptive Sports Grant Program.
“Built on VA clinical expertise and operations, with essential support from community partners, the adaptive sports grant program allows VA to extend its level of care beyond the clinical setting,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “We are pleased to offer grant funds to community organizations as it means there will be more Veterans engaging in the challenge of sports and more Veterans who are exposed to new skills for healthier living.”
In 2019, the VA awarded $14.9 million in adaptive sports grants to 126 organizations, estimated to serve more than 11,000 veterans and service members from every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Of the total awarded, $1.5 million is being used to assist organizations that offer equine-assisted therapy to support mental health.
All applications must be submitted to www.grants.gov by 8 p.m. EST, March 17, 2020. The VA will announce awards based on a competitive selection in fall 2020.
BoardSafe Manages All Shipping Details
As you can imagine, shipping tons of materials to any site, near or far, can be complicated. With BoardSafe, clients don't need to worry — we take care of all the shipping details.
Just one example is our large rowing center project in Austin, Texas. The main dock will be 15,000 square feet and will house two 3,000-square-foot boathouses. These boathouses will store rowing equipment and gear right on the dock. A total of 5 trucks will carry the materials from our manufacturing center to the site in Austin, Texas.
ADA Boat Launch, Floating Dock, and Fishing Pier
Leaser Lake in Pennsylvania created an accessibility park for those who are disabled or have limited mobility. The accessibility area includes paved walkways and a wheelchair-accessible boat launch and fishing pier. BoardSafe was contracted to build and install the floating docks, gangways, and ADA boat launch, for handicapped access to the 117-acre lake. BoardSafe was selected because of its reputation as a high-end dock builder and its proximity to the lake. They also specialize in Americans-with-Disabilities-Act-featured accessible commercial aluminum floating docks, boat launches, and fishing piers. The project included an ADA-accessible kayak launching ramp.
Providing equal access to all is important. If you are in need of ADA-featured commercial aluminum products for your marina or home dock, contact BoardSafe below to see our selection of ADA-featured applications.
BoardSafe specializes in manufacturing aluminum docks, gangways, and rowing centers. They offer both standard and ADA-featured products. If you have a rowing center or marina project and would like to learn more, visit BoardSafeDocks.com or call 610-899-0286.