New York City’s Flushing Bay dock will be closed next year for repair works, the City Parks Department has notified dozens of dragon boat teams that they must relocate by the end of April next year. Due to the uncertain completion schedule of the repairs, it may not be possible to hold dragon boat races at this location for the next decade or even several decades.
Currently, about 20 clubs and 60 teams, totaling around 1,200 dragon boat enthusiasts, including many members representing the United States in competitions, use Pier 1 at the World’s Fair Marina in Flushing Bay, as reported by The City, a municipal news website. They received a notice from the Parks Department at the end of November that they will no longer have access to the dock after the 2024-2025 racing season and must vacate by the end of April.
The New York Post also reported that Pier 1, with an 87-year history, has long been found to have extensive damage. Due to financial constraints, repairs have been delayed. Although a temporary solution was implemented in 2016, the Parks Department determined that it still poses a public safety hazard. The city government and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have allocated over $13 million for the project, but the full extent of the restoration has not been determined yet. Currently, it is still in the design phase. A report from the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget estimated that the repair of the pier will not be completed until after 2030, with improvements to other facilities possibly not happening until after 2050.
Representative Judd Faulkner from the Parks Department stated in a release that they recognize dragon boat racing as a regular activity at Flushing Bay. Therefore, they have provided a list of 36 alternative docks in the area to the dragon boat teams. Several teams have already relocated their base to some of these locations. However, some dragon boat enthusiasts feel abandoned and are concerned that it may take decades before they can return to Flushing Bay. A team member, Chang Greg, told The City that if a solution is not found soon, the future of dragon boat races in New York City is uncertain.
Fortunately, Flushing Meadows Corona Park nearby is also a popular dragon boat racing venue. The organizers of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival have stated that the event, scheduled for two days in August next year, will continue as planned and will not be affected by the renovation of the Flushing Bay dock.