READY TO ROW

MANATEE COUNTY — Catching a vision that started in Sarasota with a 2,000-meter sprint, rowing course, officials from Manatee County are nearly complete with a training facility of their own at Fort Hamer Park.

Work will conclude this month on the first phase, which includes a floating dock, an 8,000-square-foot storage building, restrooms and other improvements. Rowers from all across the country will be able to utilize the site to access the Manatee River and up to 10,000 meters of continuous rowing.

“The board of county commissioners for Manatee County are extremely responsive (about) this,” project manager David Gustafson said. “They have great vision, and they have definitely helped us move this forward.”

Floating docks were installed last week, and construction for the restroom and storage buildings were expected to be finished by Dec. 30, just in time for two collegiate teams — Northeastern and Harvard universities — which already are scheduled to use the facilities between late December and mid-January.

Manatee County plans to add another floating dock, playground equipment, additional parking and other amenities to the park, as well, Gustafson said. Permitting for Phase 2 should start in about two months.

The idea to develop Fort Hamer Park into a training site for rowers developed after Benderson Development’s Paul Blackketter, project manager for the 2,000-meter rowing course at Nathan Benderson Park, showed the river to Harvard’s renowned rowing coach, Harry Parker, more than a year ago.

“Once we got word Harry Parker fell in love with it, we thought, ‘Why not be part of what is occurring in Sarasota County?’” Gustafson said. “We also could upgrade this facility for our local community.”

Manatee County already had allotted $620,000 in its capital improvement plan for renovations to Fort Hamer Park when Gustafson and Blackketter in May presented to commissioners their idea for creating a training facility at Fort Hamer Park.

“It all started with the 2,000 meter course,” Gustafson said. “Without that facility, none of this would be moving forward.”

Blackketter and Gustafson agreed the facility at Fort Hamer would be just one component for attracting rowers from across the country and world to the region with the 2,000-meter course being the major draw for athletes. A long distance course in Osprey also would provide training opportunities.

Gustafson said Manatee County Public Schools also have invested financially in the project, paying for shells (rowing boats), equipment and a coach to start the Palmetto High School Rowing Club. High school students from throughout the district can participate.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].