By KIMBERLY PILON
The Boathouse has improved a lot of safety equipment in preparation for the spring season, such as updating the paddles, lifejackets and safety whistles. They have also added more waterproof bags for electronics, and camping chairs to sit on the dock or play lawn games. They are currently in the process of updating the little fire pit so that it can be more of a central focus for visitors, as well as picnic tables, and updating the atmosphere with string lights and wifi so it is more comfortable.
This past fall there was a focus on upgrading the yard games such as badminton, cornhole, botchy ball, and disc golf, in hopes that people could spend their time at the boathouse without having to go on the water. They are looking to add one more paddleboard for next fall, but cannot add more boats due to storage constraints.
The boathouse space goes back to the founders of Beloit College, but the usage was heavily dependent on the group of students at the time. Recently, it was becoming popular again in 2018-2019, and then Covid hit, which drastically impacted the use. Now, they are trying to make annual or repeating events to make the Boathouse reliably open, although it is heavily weather dependent. One of the other major downsides is the distance from the college, and whether you’re walking or biking, it is still a trip.
Last fall, they emphasized Friday reservations, and they had a lot of success with that from Greek life, sport teams and other clubs or organizations. Over the summer, it is used by a community group to have a night on the river, which has become very popular. As Boathouse staff continue to move forward, they want to continue to emphasize structured events and their overall reach to students. It is a great place to relax and destress, and the non-river aspects should be explored more. Kevin Schober, Director of Recreation and Activity, expressed interest in having a shuttle run from the Powerhouse to the Boathouse, as well as taking the boats up the river and paddling back down.
The Boathouse is open Saturday and Sunday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., as well as Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. Don’t miss this great resource we have on campus!
Featured image: Kimberly Pilon’27
Leave a Reply