Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Parks Joins Queens Elected Officials And Boating Enthusiasts To Cut The Ribbon On $7.28 Million Renovation Of Historic Boathouse

Commissioner Adrian Benepe today joined Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, City Council Member James Gennaro, and members of the American Small Craft Association (TASCA), Row New York, and the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival to take to the water and cut the ribbon on $7.3 million in renovations to the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Boathouse on Meadow Lake.

“The Flushing Meadows Corona Park Boathouse was created as part of the 1939 World’s Fair, a showcase of the best the world had to offer,” said Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “Since then, the Boathouse and its dock have allowed Queens residents to take to the water, or simply enjoy the view of the lake. Thanks to funding from Mayor Bloomberg, Borough President Marshall, and Council Member Gennaro, the boathouse is once again world-class, with a restored exterior, updated interior, and eco-friendly dock.”

The Boathouse is one of three remaining structures constructed for the 1939 Fair, the other two being the NYC Building, which houses the Queens Museum, and the Queens Garage, which is used for Parks Department operations. Flushing Meadows Corona Park was itself constructed for the 1939 World’s Fair, as was Meadow Lake, on which the Boathouse sits.

This project was funded by $6.05 million allocated by Queens Borough President Marshall, $1.07 million from Mayor Bloomberg, and $163,000 from Council Member Gennaro. The renovation includes a renovation of the building’s façade and roof, and the installation of new mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. The facility also contains ADA-compliant restrooms, a winterized meeting space, new storage space, and two additional roll-down gates. The old wooden dock has been replaced with a newly designed dock made of recycled plastic “lumber.”

Construction will soon begin on the paths which will run alongside Meadow Lake and extend south from the Boathouse. This project is funded by an additional $1 million allocated by Council Member Gennaro and $265,000 allocated by the Mayor. Another upcoming project will restore the natural habitat and reconstruct paths along the lake’s southwestern edge.

CONTACT: Vickie Karp/Zachary Feder (212) 360-1311