SILVER LAKE — Workers for Garco Construction were on-hand on Wednesday, Oct. 2 to assist North Idaho Maritime in installing dock sections on Silver Lake at Gonzaga University’s new boathouse that will house its men’s and woman’s competitive rowing teams.
The project has been two years in the making acquiring the land, and obtaining various permitting for construction of the 11,800 square foot rowing facility and dock, according to Rob Kavon, associate director of athletics, facilities and event operations for Gonzaga.
Standing in front of what has been dubbed the Johnson Family Boathouse, Kavon said of the dock installation, “This is our last big hurdle we have to get through.”
The $2 million facility was funded by private donations. It’s essentially a pole building, heated hydroponics installed inside its concrete floor, according to Garco superintendent Steve Smith. It’s nothing fancy. It includes locker rooms for rowers and space to store their shells and that’s about it, Kavon said.
Gonzaga purchased the 5.55-acre property in April 2018 for $200,000, according to Spokane County records.
The facility will augment Gonzaga’s existing Charlotte Martin boathouse on the Spokane River above the Spokane Upriver Dam, Kavon said. Novices will row out of the Charlotte Martin boathouse, while the Silver Lake facility will serve as the university’s main competition boathouse.
Gonzaga has been hosting competition rowing on Silver Lake for the past 12 years, according to Kavon, and operating out of the Silver Lake Bible Camp.
“It was time to leave,” he said of the reason for Gonzaga’s departure. “It was one of those things that we had outgrown and had a need for a new boathouse.”
A public dedication for the boathouse and dock is scheduled for 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 12. Parking is limited.
Lee Hughes can be reached at [email protected].
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