There’s plenty of construction ongoing near the Boathouse at Quidi Vidi Lake these days, but the president of the Royal St. John’s Regatta Committee says the work shouldn’t impede the rowers who are now on the water training for the 201st Regatta in three months’ time.
The area is undergoing a $2.7 million facelift which will see improvements to parking, replacement of the dock for the racing shells and a new park.
It’s expected work will be complete by mid-July, in time for the 2019 Regatta Aug. 7.
As a result, parking in the area is challenging at best, and so is space to dock the racing shells with a large part of the docking area under re-construction.
“Right now,” said Regatta Committee president Chris Neary, “we’ve seven or eight boats on the water. Sometimes, there’s less than that.
“At our peak, there’s 10 on the water but the number we have available is meeting the need right now at the point in the season.
“There’s usually not as many crews out now, so the boats we do have on the water are more than accommodating the need.”
Upwards of 150 rowing crews took part in last year’s 200th anniversary Regatta, but Neary expects that number to drop back to between 75 and 100 crews this summer.
