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Kenmore Public Boathouse

Boathouse Ribbon Cutting Ceremony -External shot

Boathouse Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - aerial building over slough

Kenmore Public Boathouse (KPB) is a 2,800-sq-ft rowing shell house located at the northern end of Rhododendron Park with the goal of enabling access to the sport for all, regardless of socioeconomic status.

The boathouse serves as a year-round base of operations for the Kenmore Community Rowing Club and home to the Northshore School District’s high school crew team. Interested Northshore School District high school aged rowers should contact their athletic director. For camps and year round recreation, youth and adults may reach out to the Kenmore Community Rowing Club at info@kenmorerowing.org. Both organizations have scholarships available.

The KPB project completion was celebrated on May 26, 2021. Click here for the full press release.

Kenmore Public Boathouse FAQ

Is the Kenmore Public Boathouse a private facility?

If the Kenmore Public Boathouse is a public facility, why are there restrictions to who can access it and when?

There are several reasons there are access restrictions. Most user restrictions are for safety reasons. Water sports can be unsafe if those participating aren’t properly trained or supervised. The experienced boathouse manager is responsible for determining these safety restrictions. Additionally, the Kenmore Public Boathouse is home to the Northshore School District rowing teams and is off-limits to adults unaffiliated with these programs during designated practice hours. This is the same as when a school athletic field is closed to the public during a practice. These hours are limited to specific windows during the interscholastic seasons in the fall and spring.

How Can I get Involved?

There are a number of programs offered at the Kenmore Public Boathouse for everyone from novice to experienced youth and adults.

The Kenmore Community Rowing Club offers Adult Learn to Row programming which provides an introduction to the sport in a small group format. The club also offers morning, evening, and weekend co-ed experienced programs for adults.

The Kenmore Community Rowing Club additionally offers weekly summer camp options for students going into 8th-12th grades. Please see their website for camp schedules.

For questions about current and upcoming community programming please go to https://kenmorerowing.org/ or email info@kenmorerowing.org

For questions about high school rowing please contact your school’s athletic director.

Is Rowing Expensive? I’m worried I can’t afford it.

Financial aid is available. Part of the reason the City of Kenmore undertook this project was provide ways for our residents to affordably connect with the waterways that are the heart of our community.

Rowing can be an expensive sport but we are fortunate to have a strong coalition – the City, the Pocock Foundation, King County, the Kenmore Community Rowing Club, and the Northshore School District - dedicated to affordable access.

For questions about need-based financial aid go to https://kenmorerowing.org/ or email info@kenmorerowing.org or contact your school’s athletic director.

How was the Kenmore Public Boathouse built? Who paid for it?

The Kenmore Public Boathouse was the result of the shared dream of several community partners. A lot of fundraising effort went into the project. Funding was secured from several sources: a King County Youth and Amateur Sports grant ($611k), Northshore School District facility funds ($250k), a State of Washington budget allocation ($242k), and the City of Kenmore Strategic Opportunities fund ($503k) and Park Impact Fees ($84,500k from 2017-2021).

How much private funding went towards building the Kenmore Public Boathouse? Has this amount been raised? What is its status?

The city received bids to build the Kenmore Public Boathouse at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to avoid future delays and skyrocketing construction costs the Kenmore City Council made the decision to allocate additional funding to the project from the City’s Strategic Opportunities Fund, with the understanding that this money would be paid back to the City, over time, via a private capital campaign. Public statements of intent and commitment were made by the project’s community partners to meeting this goal. The capital campaign is run by the Friends of Kenmore Boathouse (FOKB) fundraising committee and is still ongoing with the goal of raising $503k to repay the City for its contribution to construction costs. The FOKB reports quarterly on their progress to the Kenmore City Council and these reports can be accessed on the city’s website at https://www.kenmorewa.gov/government/city-council

Any and all are encouraged to join this campaign. If you would like to participate, volunteer, or donate, please reach out to The Friends of Kenmore Boathouse. Learn more about FKB at https://www.kenmoreboathouse.com/

Background
Description
Status

In 2017, the City of Kenmore completed a walkway across Rhododendron Park’s wetland, a new boarding float on the river, and improved parking facilities. These improvements supported water access for a variety of hand-carried watercraft. Construction of the boathouse to store rowing shells was intended to support both public and Northshore School District rowing programs. On March 16th, 2020, City Council awarded a $1,195,826 bid for the construction of the 40’x70 boathouse. Construction of the boathouse was planned for spring and summer with operations beginning in the winter of 2020-21.