Conceptual design of a possible eco-dock on the Astoria Waterfront
Sept. 10, 2015 By Jackie Strawbridge
A free waterfront festival will celebrate Hallets Cove and its future on Saturday.
The festival will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hallets Cove Playground, near Vernon Boulevard and 30th Road, and is hosted by Councilman Costa Constantinides and the Waterfront Alliance.
Family activities will include sand art, arts and crafts and a “touch tank” where kids can interact with small marine life caught that day at the cove.
An educational beach cleanup will take place along the shore as part of the Ocean Conservancy’s annual International Coastal Cleanup.
Constantinides will also host a presentation on his plan for Hallets Cove revitalization. Aspects of this plan include improvements at the Hallets Cove playground and upgrades to the Astoria Houses basketball court, as well as an “eco-dock” for environmental and marine programming.
This eco-dock would include seating, greenery and a kayak launch, and would coexist with the incoming Astoria Ferry dock, according to the Councilman’s office.
Maggie Flanagan, maritime operations manager with the Waterfront Alliance, said she hopes the festival will familiarize residents with what she called the “hidden gem” that is Hallets Cove.
“The cove can be a place where shoreline restoration takes place, where kayaking takes place, where boating takes place for ferries,” she said. “There are very few places in the City where there’s a small neighborhood cove with all of that variety and potential.”
“Our waterfront is our next frontier and we must use this resource to its fullest extent,” Constantinides said. “As the leaders of tomorrow, children must learn these lessons today. I am proud to impart lessons about the water’s resources and sustainability to families and children in our community.”
