Press Room

NFTA Boat Harbor Prepares for Opening

$1 Million in Improvements Made During the Off-Season

Thursday April 23, 2009

Buffalo, NY . . . The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority announced today that it has invested $1 million to improve and develop its Boat Harbor in advance of the Friday, May 15 opening.

When boaters arrive at the 1,019-slip facility on Lake Erie this year they will see the results of off-season enhancements made by the NFTA in the form of upgraded docks and new fuel tanks that are being installed this spring.

Peter G. Demakos, NFTA Commissioner and Chairman of the NFTA's Property/Risk Committee said, "The NFTA is fully committed to maintaining this public asset in order to provide boaters and visitors alike with a safe and enjoyable experience each and every time they visit our marina."

Capital improvements to three steel docks; sections E, F & G that sustained extensive damage during a heavy windstorm last September have been completed at a cost of approximately $550,000. The docks, which service 323 slips have been completely overhauled byway of repair, sandblasting and having zinc and epoxy paint coatings applied, adding 10-years of service to the docks.

Additional upgrades at the marina include $155,800 for the electrification of the 66-slip L dock and the installation of two new 6,000-gallon fuel tanks for servicing boaters at the gas dock carrying a total cost of $294,200.

The marina offers amenities such as Dug's Dive, a licensed restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, picnic tables, bait shop, marine store, pump out station, fuel, showers, watercraft launch area with ramp, engine repair services and a boardwalk perfect for sunset watching.

Boaters interested in renting a slip(s) still have time to apply for this year's boating season. Rental information is available online at nfta.com/boatharbor or by calling 716-828-0027.

The marina's Web site has also been given a complete makeover, now providing interactive pages for viewing dock positions and Google mapping for traveling directions to the marina.

"Slips, launches, tasty food or simply having fun by the water, the NFTA Boat Harbor has all the ingredients needed to enjoy the beautiful Lake Erie shore," Demakos added.

The NFTA Boat Harbor located less than three miles from downtown Buffalo at 1111 Fuhrmann Boulevard, operates seasonally May 15 to October 15.

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