WASHINGTON – Some boaters are in a bind following a decision to close a decades-old marina on the D.C. waterfront.
“I have probably one of the best riverfront views in the District of Columbia,” says Terri Thompson, who keeps a boat at the Buzzard Point Marina. “It doesn’t get much better than this.”
Thompson and others are upset by a decision from the National Park Service to close the facility. Fifty-eight boat owners were notified in August that the park service’s contract with the marina’s operator would not be renewed, and that the owners needed to find somewhere else to keep their boats. The park service says the marina needed upgrades that would have been too costly.
The marina has been in operation for more than 50 years.
“Three generations of families have been here… it’s a shame,” says the marina’s manager, Christine Barna.
While boaters plan to fight the move, they have been looking into nearby alternatives – although none are appealing. “The cost of moving, if I were able to find a slip to move my boat to, is going to be more than double of what I’m paying currently,” Thompson says.
The move to close the marina comes as Buzzard Point faces redevelopment, including the construction of a new soccer stadium.
Through a series of upcoming public meetings, “we’re encouraging everyone to come out and share their thoughts about what they’d like to see on this site, and that includes the slip-holders,” says National Park Service spokeswoman Emily Linroth.
“We welcome all voices in helping to figure out what the future of this site should be, and how we can improve access to the Anacostia River and recreation opportunities for everyone who loves this place.”
