From wyc_info at u.washington.edu Fri Apr 19 08:00:00 2024 From: wyc_info at u.washington.edu (Vice Commodore via wyc_info) Date: Fri Apr 19 08:02:58 2024 Subject: [WYC Announce] Important Update: WYC Facing Critical Challenges due to Dock Renovations Message-ID: Greetings current and former WYC members, WYC is currently going through a very consequential set of challenges and decisions which we could use help navigating from current and former members. Currently WYC is facing 3 primary events that affect whether, and to what degree, its existence can continue at the Waterfront Activity Center (WAC). *ASUW Canoe House Renovations* The ASUW Canoe House is being renovated into an events venue as part of a well-publicized fundraising related to the Boys in Boats book/movie. WYC is removing all gear currently stored there including Snooze n? Cruise gear, KB supplies, sailboards, etc. After completion of renovations, this space will not be available to use as before. *Dock Renovations & Layout Changes* UW is applying for permits to begin dock renovations around December of this year, lasting for several months into 2025. While WYC agrees the docks need replacement due to their deteriorated condition, the plans for the replacement docks are very antagonistic to WYC?s operations. They call for: - Replacement of the floating dinghy dock with a beach, on which we couldn?t store any dinghies. - No replacement of the dilapidated launch ramp currently at the end of the floating dock used for launching trailer dinghies. - Removal without replacement of half of the North docks where we currently moor keelboats, daysailers, large catamarans, whalers, etc. - Expansion of the outer dock and waiting piers in such ways as greatly restrict access to the North docks by sailboats. WYC has repeatedly over the past 2 years requested to provide input and be included in any discussions related to the dock replacements. WYC was repeatedly told by the IMA and UW Recreation that those plans weren?t being made yet. It was in late 2023 that WYC learned on its own that the plans had been finalized and were being submitted to the city for approval, including declarations that all affected parties had been consulted. To that end WYC began a campaign of public outreach to at least try and request a public hearing before this land use and construction permit was granted. The city is still considering a hearing and says comments may still be submitted while the permits are undergoing initial review. WYC has tried repeatedly to get meetings with individuals in power above UW Recreation, and we finally had one preliminary meeting with UW President Cauce, who has instructed the VP for Student Life to meet with us. We are working to ensure this meeting is prompt and fruitful while remaining cautiously optimistic. *Conversion to a Rec Club*UW Recreation, who manages the docks and the IMA, has given WYC an ultimatum that it must become a Rec club under UW Recreations purview (rather than just a RSO as currently) or else it will *lose all access to waterfront storage space as of July 1*. Over the last 10 years, UW Rec has enforced a series of restrictions and decisions on the WYC which make operations more difficult and less safe. These include: loss of access to repair facilities, the sail loft, and workshop (UWild gear rental storage now); restricting anyone from accessing club boats from the docks without an expensive IMA membership (including guests); an elimination of access to the properly ventilated and permitted fuel storage shed; the closing of WAC locker rooms and showers which are crucial for sailing safety in winter; and the loss of dedicated rescue boat slips making them more difficult to quickly access. While some even more onerous rules have been relieved in the last year, changing to a club where UW Rec has even more power to control WYC operations does not seem desirable. For instance, it?s already been stated that after dock renovations finish, likely around April 2025, there would only be space to store 1 sailing dinghy at the WAC. UW Rec has apparently been circulating a narrative for about 7 years in UW bureaucratic circles that WYC is an exclusive group which provides very little value to students and rather is more of a backdoor private marina for non-UW personnel. At the same time, the UW Canoe/Kayak rentals rented to the public are painted as wholly student-enriching. *What Next?* These are very challenging times, and the officers and executive council are working hard to explore all avenues possible for our continued existence sharing the waterfront at UW. Some of these efforts have included the public comments [1 ] for the SEPA application, media outreach [2 ][3 ] to draw attention to the club?s plight, and working with ASUW [4 ][5] to increase oversight of UW Rec?s decisions in this project, which have all happened without oversight. WYC is seeing some fruits from these activities but the club?s future over the next 3-9 months and beyond is very much in jeopardy. WYC increasingly conducts day-to-day business on the Discord platform which has led to neglect of email updates such as this. In these trying times, WYC will strive to reutilize this channel to keep current and past members aware of the situation. WYC asks for two types of help, broadly: 1) anyone who is interested in helping us maintain regular sailing operations, and 2) anyone who is interested in helping us navigate these challenges. In other news, we are looking for new officers, assistant instructors, and volunteers to help the club with our website [7 ], new merch, and our social media presence. If you would like to be more involved, please reach out to one of the officers via email or discord. - WYC Exec & Officers References: 1. Seattle Public Comments 2. Komo News: UW dock renovations pose threat to 75-year sailing tradition, yacht club students say 3. The Daily: Waterfront Restoration Project puts future of UW?s 75-year-old sailing club in jeopardy 4. ASUW passes resolution opposing UW Rec?s campus dock improvements in solidarity with WYC 5. Board Bill attached. 6. Discord Invite Link 7. Know more: https://washingtonyachtclub.org/sailing-club-pushed-from-campus/ Bhanu Vice Commodore Washington Yacht Club http://www.washingtonyachtclub.org/ Sign up for updates on WYC: http://www.washingtonyachtclub.org/email-lists Follow us on Facebook and Instagram And join us on Discord -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: BOARD_BILL_5.09_Resolution_for_the_Repealment_of_the_Current_Proposal_for_the_UW_East_Campus_Dock_Improvements.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 347779 bytes Desc: not available URL: