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Fourth Annual John J. Harvey Blue Links Tour of the Historic Hudson River
2004 Hudson River Trip August 11 - 23
 | | The Harvey will be open for visitors to board and explore when it comes to Cold Spring |
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Hudson River communities exist because of the Hudson River, which connects towns and cities throughout New York. Sadly, most of the piers and their cleats, docks, bollards and fendering systems along the Hudson are long gone, robbing the river of its vital and historic function as a highway for people and goods.
Once again this year, the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance and Save Our Ships New York launch the "Blue Links" campaign aboard the historic fireboat John J. Harvey to resuscitate and rebuild the waterfront infrastructure that once lined the water’s edge.
Restoration and renewal of these basic links would unleash enormous potential for local and river-based economic development. As part of this campaign organizers are conducting a river-long reconnaissance to compile a comprehensive list of waterfront infrastructure improvements - from promenades to town docks and ferry and vessel landings - that they believe should be included in the upcoming Federal transportation bill, scheduled to be reauthorized later this year.
Also this year Blue Links has created an outreach program to children’s homes in the Hudson Valley. Thirty-five children will be boarding the boat in Cold Spring and riding home to Poughkeepsie.
In recent history, organizers say that we’ve been missing the boat when it comes to waterfront investments: While the last iteration of the Federal transportation bill included over $100 million in funding for waterfront infrastructure, we fared quite poorly in bringing the Federal funds home. New York has more excursion and ferry boat riders than any harbor in the nation. Creating "Blue Links" is one way upstate and downstate New York can work together to draw this new investment here. This Federal transportation legislation, revised and updated only once every six years, can and should be a catalyst for connecting our waterfront communities with their maritime heritage, new water-related tourism, economic development opportunities, and with the water itself.
Where do you think a Blue Link needs to be made? Email Blue Links with your suggestion.
Besides sending your ideas, there are other ways to join the 4th annual Hudson River Trip:
- Join from a town prior to where you would like to end up
- Join from your town and go to another
- In some towns there will be enough time to allow dockside inspections of the vessel and her systems
- At least once in each town they offer a short return trip, from and back to the dock.
The following is a sampling of the schedule as the boat touches down on points in Putnam. On Thursday, August 12 at 9 am depart Bear Mountain for Cold Spring, arriving Cold Spring at 10 am. At 10:30 am depart Cold Spring for Poughkeepsie and points north.
On Saturday, August 21, the boat departs Kingston at 9 am and arrives in Cold Spring 7 pm with stops in between.
On Sunday, August 22, 10 am Cold Spring for public trip following 11 am Dock side inspection, departing Cold Spring at noon for Stony Point.
All visits and experiences with John J. Harvey are free. Visit their website www.fireboat.org for more specific tour times and locations.
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