How many boat houses does a river need?

[Pete]

I don't understand how the OCU building could cost $10 million.

The CHK structure was $3.5 and the one OU is planning is to be $4 million.

[soonerfan21]

I hope the poster from NewsOK comes to the USA Rowing Challenge this weekend - this sounds like a blast! Good job OKC

The USA Rowing World Challenge welcomes competitors from around the world for 2000m Olympic style racing and 500m NightSprints. Competitors in this inaugural event include national team rowers from the United States, Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Georgia, Switzerland and the Republic of Moldova.

The 2007 Oklahoma Centennial Regatta Festival combines two of America’s most exciting rowing regattas, the USA Rowing World Challenge and the Oklahoma City University Head of the Oklahoma – together with four days of family fun on the Oklahoma River!

While international and collegiate rowers race on the river, the river banks will be filled with live music and entertainment, food from some of Oklahoma’s finest restaurants, wine tasting, a children’s area, an art show and international expo, kayaking, and cycling demonstrations. And be sure to catch “The Olympic Experience,” an interactive exhibit showcasing Olympic sports located just north of the Chesapeake Boathouse.

At night, spectators will gather along the sprint course as OG&E lights up the sky for 500 meter NightSprints – the most exciting rowing races you’ll ever see – with spectacular fireworks marking the end of each day’s racing.

Festival admission is free. Tickets are required for the blū party. Free parking and shuttle are provided throughout the weekend.

Festival Hours
Thursday, October 11 - 6 pm to 9 pm (ticket required for blū party)
Friday, October 12 - 10 am to 10 pm
Saturday, October 13 - 10 am to 10 pm
Sunday, October 14 - 10 am to 1 pm

More about the events…

blū Party and Corporate Challenge
Thursday, October 11
The excitement begins on Thursday with the blū party at the Chesapeake Boathouse. Live music, food from an array of Oklahoma City’s best restaurants, wine tasting and an opportunity to meet some of the world’s elite rowers promises to make this an evening to remember. As the sun sets, the action moves to the river with the Corporate Rowing Challenge. More than a dozen corporate teams from across Oklahoma City will race under the lights for office bragging rights!

Contact Melanie Maguire at (405) 552-4040 or email at bluparty@coxinet.net.

USA Rowing World Challenge
Premier Event > Friday, October 12
The USA Rowing World Challenge will showcase top international rowing talent from the most competitive teams in the world – including the US National Team – as they prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The excitement will begin with 2000 meter Olympic style racing during the day, then reach new heights as crews compete in adrenaline-fueled 500-meter sprint finals under the lights that evening!

OCU Head of the Oklahoma
Premier Event > Saturday/Sunday, October 13-14
The OCU Head of the Oklahoma is one of the premier collegiate rowing events in the nation and is expected to attract more than 40 crews and 1000+ athletes. Crews will compete in the 2.5 mile head racing during the day, then take to the water that night for 500 meter OG&E NightSprints.

Live Music & Entertainment
You’ll find live music, dance productions, and roving performers providing lively entertainment throughout the weekend.

The Olympic Experience
The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing are only months away. Catch the Olympic spirit when you visit this interactive exhibit presented by the US Olympic Committee and the University of Central Oklahoma, a US Olympic Committee Community Partner.

Wine Tasting
Oklahoma’s own Grape Ranch Winery presents an array of wines for your tasting pleasure. Must be 21 years of age. Commemorative Pin Required $5

Children’s Area
Face painting, art activities, safety exhibits and more are offered in the free children’s area. Looking for a little more excitement? Check out the inflatables for an afternoon of boundless fun!

Kayaking
Kayaking is rapidly becoming a favored sport on the Oklahoma River! Watch demonstrations by USA Canoe Kayak (free). Then try it out yourself – we provide the kayaks, paddles and life jackets. Commemorative Pin Required $5

Art Show
Oklahoma artists celebrate the state’s centennial with a creative flourish. Browse their offerings and perhaps purchase a piece of fine art to commemorate this important moment in Oklahoma’s history.

International Expo
Explore the international flavor of the Oklahoma Centennial Regatta Festival in the International Expo tent.

Food Plaza
Oklahoma City’s best restaurants come together to once again provide festival spectators with food to please everyone’s palate – from crab cakes and fajitas to hamburgers and popcorn, there’s something for everyone!



The Head of the Oklahoma is the premier fall event in Oklahoma City and there is no entrance fee to enjoy the excitement and pageantry of the regatta

[Misty]

I think it's great there is so much interest but I have to tell you, that water is some of the most disgusting I've ever seen. The thought of falling in it or even having it splash on me completely grosses me out. If the water was nice I'd join the boathouse in a second, I've always wanted to try rowing. I'm trying to convince myself to forget about the water and try it.

[TStheThird]

I like how they talk about making the facility multi purpose. I went to a wedding reception at the Chesapeake Boathouse. It was a blast... really cool atmosphere.

[Karried]

The traffic is going to be horrendous in the area this weekend with the Centennial parade. I would def leave really early with all these concurrent events.

I agree with trees!!

Please Plant some Shade Trees!

[Kerry]

I am constantly amazed at how short-sighted some people are. My wife and I graduated from OU in 1994. Shortly after graduation we were visiting Tampa, Florida and took a Saturday to explore downtown Tampa. The University of Tampa is located along the Hillsborough River just across from downtown. On the seawall along the river were murals painted by visiting rowing team. It included team from Harvard, Yale, Princeton and many many other prestigious universities. My wife and I were both impressed with the display and it gave us a sense of cultural that we had not known living in Oklahoma. Three months later we made Tampa our home.

From an economic standpoint, I think attracting the athletes from these respective universities is great exposure for Oklahoma City. I dislike Ivy League executives probably as much as anyone, but you can’t deny the fact that many of these athletes visiting OKC today will be making executive decision in the boardroom tomorrow. It would be nice to know that the next time Johnson & Johnson or General Electric is looking at expansion/relocation, someone in the room has a favorable impression/memory of OKC.

Oklahoma River Boathouse : $5,000,000
Watching race with family: $100
Landing major international headquarters: priceless

[CCOKC]

My husband and I started taking erg classes on Saturday mornings and hope to start rowing next month. We were very surprised about how many people are on the river on Saturdays. The parking lot is consistently full. There are all lots of kids, I'm talking teenagers, rowing as well as the college kids. The Chesapeake boathouse is well used all of the time and there really does seem to be a need for the other boathouses exclusively for the colleges.

[AFCM]

But PLEASE, PLEASE plant a bunch of trees!

Agreed! I would like to see any area that is not developed, shaded by beautiful green trees. Man-made structures aren't the only thing you can utilize to add a little density to an area.

[bombermwc]

We are in deperate need of landscaping all along the river....perhaps some bonding is in order?

[soonerfan21]

To tag along on Kerry's response - this was a remark from the coach at Harvard after visiting last October.
" . . . the night racing is a terrific idea and while I watched it I felt like I was experiencing something like the first spectators at the first night baseball game. You're doin' fine Oklahoma!"

I would say Kerry is absolutely correct is the "priceless" tag given to the time and effort put into the rowing and beautification along the OK River.

[Nixon7]

I think it's great there is so much interest but I have to tell you, that water is some of the most disgusting I've ever seen. The thought of falling in it or even having it splash on me completely grosses me out. If the water was nice I'd join the boathouse in a second, I've always wanted to try rowing. I'm trying to convince myself to forget about the water and try it.

Agreed, 100%. You might get hepatitis in that water!

[metro]

It's definitely interesting. The glass front is cool...nice how its got the whole boat look to the building.

If that's a $10 Million project, it sort of makes me sad to see what UCO is going to do for only $3 Million.

Why? I believe the Chesapeake Boathouse was built to the tune of $3.5 million 2 years ago and I think it looks stunning. Even with inflation, UCO's $3 million will go a long way.

[jbrown84]

We are in deperate need of landscaping all along the river....perhaps some bonding is in order?

Indeed.

[Pete]

I hope MAPS 3 includes some substantial beautification projects and the river should definitely be a priority.

[betts]

Shop Talk: A Boathouse, Building at Broome, Blowin' Wind, and More - Chronicle.com

Here's a link to the rendering of the OCU boathouse. I am not sure how to post it here, so perhaps someone else can.

[metro]

Thanks for the link betts. The rendering is already posted on page one of this thread but I'll post it again for you. This picture is slightly bigger I believe.

[bombermwc]

On the water thing....remember it is a flood control river. The water is going to be whatever runs off of the land upstream. We're never going to have real clean water in that river no matter what we do beacuse the purpose it serves. Because the river has spillway damns, it also lends itself to having to deal with the fact that the lighter material in a river that floats (ie oil and trash) is what spills to the next area. I think an ideal thing would be to install some sort of filtering thing to catch some of the stuff at each damn...not sure how to do that.

[jbrown84]

The Arkansas looks just as muddy running through Tulsa.

[BG918]

I agree. It will be great to have a showcase of modern architecture along the river as people travel here from all over to come to these competitions.

But PLEASE, PLEASE plant a bunch of trees!

I totally agree. I was down there last night and it looks pretty good, but it does need more trees. I know they've planted a lot and they are slowly maturing but there needs to be more of an initiative to get trees down there.


'Softer' banks would also be nice so they're not so stark. Something like this could definitely be done to the Oklahoma River (ignore the skyline):

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I don't even think you'd need bonding to get trees down there. Let people that care plant them.

If somebody were to organize it, I'd be willing to tote a tree or two down there, dig some holes, and drop them in...Provided that 1) I got a deal on the trees from a local tree place, 2) I was told what trees to plant and exactly where to plant them and 3) I get to kick the first person to suggest a billboard down there right square in the pills.

I would seriously do this (not the kicking part), and I'm neither a downtown resident nor somebody who is prone to donating my time and money to civic projects. I'm just a guy who loves the water and thinks that this city is severely lacking in landscaping almost everywhere.

Well, okay...Maybe the kicking part too.

[Karried]

This is a cool thing to send to out of towners:

Welcome to ChesapeakeBoathouse.org

[soonerfan21]

Speaking of organizing a tree planting - there is a group called "NeighborWoods" that does just that. I think OK has a branch (sorry, no pun intended!) locally that might be able to help plant some trees along the river.

[CCOKC]

I took a walk down the river last weekend and noticed that there are a lot of trees planted they are just immature. It takes a while for trees to grow. I think they must be similar in size and maturity to the trees at Lake Hefner's east side.

[Pete]

OU announced today the hiring of a rowing coach and said in the press release they will be starting on their boathouse 'soon'.