news from the commodore

Dear YPRC Members,

On behalf of the YBRC Board I want to share with you some of the developments that have taken place over the last few months and what we expect for our Club in 2016. It’s going to be an eventful year, so please, read on! 

Some Good News !
The City of Yonkers has been awarded a NY State grant for improvements along the Alexander Street corridor and we are slated to receive a share of that grant for improvements in the Clubhouse. We are already talking with architects about a complete facelift for the Club’s exterior, including new siding, windows and doors as well as new fencing along the northern end of the Club. It is indeed good news that Yonkers is willing to invest in the future of YPRC and make us a real part of a rejuvenated Yonkers downtown and waterfront.  The confidence they have expressed in the Club’s future needs to be echoed by our own commitment to making the Club both financially stable and a more vital part of our community. 

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Membership Dues Increase
With that in mind and looking to build the kind of resources we will need for additional Club improvements in the coming years, the Board at its March meeting voted the following increases:  Individual membership dues will go from $95 to $110/year. The family membership will go from $125 to $160/year. And, there will be a $10 increase in boat storage fees at Alexander Street. Because of City launch fees at JFK Marina, the Board felt any increase in storage fees there was not appropriate. I think all of us can agree that these are still very modest dues for the remarkable access to the Hudson that the YPRC provides.

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Collins Project
Construction has begun on the Collins’ project just south of our property. There will be no access through the south gate during the expected 2 years of construction. Other than that, we expect minimal impact on the Club at least during this year’s paddling season.  The promised new bulkhead and walkway that is part of the Collins development is unlikely until late 2017 at the earliest. Thanks, however, to the hard work of a volunteer crew last fall, the old bulkhead has been stabilized and ready for the gangway and dock to be put in the water, hopefully by early May. We will keep you posted.

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Public Program
The very successful YPRC public kayaking program at the JFK Marina continues to make us a vital part of the Yonkers Community and is one of the reasons we are getting access to grant funding. We need to make sure that program keeps growing. To the many who volunteered their time during last year’s program making it the biggest ever, our special THANKS!  You were amazing!  If you were not able to help last year, please consider volunteering a few hours this year. We are an all-volunteer Club and when many pitch in to help, the burden is less on each of us.

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And Much More For Club Members
This summer there will be a wide assortment of activities for Club Members including skill sessions, club sponsored trips as well as the regular Tuesday evening member’s paddle and pot-luck barbeque.  Once again the YPRC will be the lead sponsor of the Manhattan Circumnavigation, tentatively set for July 9th.  There will be the annual Triyakathon, a run, bike and kayak event co-sponsored with the Yonkers BIke Club, the Annual Mayor’s Cup and other special events that may include hosting paddling visitors from Scotland and possibly Hawaii.

So hang onto your paddle. There is a big year ahead!
All the best,
Bill Dennison, Commodore