By Mike Finney

DOVER — The city of Dover is ready to bring on the boats when it comes to recreational opportunities offered in the state capital.

The construction of a kayak/canoe launch at Silver Lake Park is the remaining piece of a $33,000 matching grant offered by Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control for improvements to the city of Dover’s centerpiece park along the lake, along with upgrades to Division/Kirkwood Street park.

Members of Dover’s Parks, Recreation and Community Enhancement Committee voted unanimously at last week’s City Council of the Whole meeting to fund the remaining $9,100 needed in order to build the kayak/canoe launch with DNREC’s Outdoor Recreation Parks and Trails matching grant set to expire on June 30.

Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen is obviously a big fan of the project, considering he has hosted the Mayor’s Canoe and Kayak Regatta on Silver Lake Day for five out of the past six years, with last year’s event canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Silver Lake has been an integral part of not only the commercial history of the city with its flour mills, but the recreation opportunities for swimming and boating and fishing,” Mayor Christiansen said. “One of the reasons we began (the regatta) was to showcase the beauty and fun and activities of one of the gems of the city.

“The kayak launch will once again help shine a light on one of the best recreational activities in our town. Finally, as soon as the pandemic is over, look for a return of the Mayor’s Kayak and Canoe Festival celebrating Silver Lake.”

Matt Harline, assistant city manager, said everything seemed to come together in the grant to make for what should be a project that will fit in nicely with several other improvements to the parks.

“We’re looking at a total of $9,000 in expenditures to finish up a grant,” Mr. Harline explained to the committee before their quick vote on the kayak/canoe ramp. “The full (park improvements) project was $63,000, with $33,000 grant funded and $33,000 budgeted in the FY 2020 budget.

“It is a really nice cooperative project that we’ve worked out as a piece of a larger grant that we’ve worked out with the University of Delaware.”

Members of the Silver Lake Commission suggested to city staff that it utilize the services of the Coastal Resilience Design Studio from the university.

The CRDS is an interdisciplinary team of student designers, researchers and engineers exploring solutions to the challenges facing Delaware’s coastal communities. The CRDS equips communities with tools, designs and strategies aimed at mitigating disruptions from short-term hazardous events and long-term environmental changes.

The city took the commission’s advice and entered into an agreement with CRDS for designing a kayak launch area that would enhance the kayak/canoe experience, maintain lake views from the parking area, improve water quality with geese-resistant plantings and create an accessible pathway to the beach.

Tricia Arndt, who will be sworn in as a city council representative in May, had served as the chairwoman of the Silver Lake Commission. She said she is excited about the project.

“The commission was instrumental in coordinating with grad students at University of Delaware to aid in site design and plant selection,” Ms. Arndt said. “The university’s Coastal Resilience Design Studio, led by Dr. Jules Bruck, put together a professional landscape plan and site design for the area of the park commonly known as ‘the beach.’

“The overall project will improve water quality by filtering runoff from the parking lot and deterring large numbers of birds from congregating on the sand and leaving waste behind. The plantings were selected with different bloom times so as to provide visual interest year-round.

And of course the designated kayak launch area will be an additional park amenity. Other considerations were benches for comfortable viewing of the water, but also keeping the plant heights at a low profile knowing that many like to enjoy the view from the parking lot. The commission is really excited to see this plan implemented and personally I can’t wait to see the plants in bloom. It’s going to be beautiful.”

Among the other improvements the funding helped to provide was new playground equipment for playground locations at Silver Lake and Division/Kirkwood Street Park, constructing a volleyball court area at Silver Lake Park and site improvements to the beach (former swimming area).

Robin Eaton, director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, said the new additions to Silver Lake Park will attract many seeking recreational refuge.

“With the kayaking/canoeing popularity increasing in our area, we plan to refurbish the former swimming area (beach) into a kayak/canoeing launching area,” Mr. Eaton said. “The current boat ramp primarily serves licensed motorized boats. This ramp is not user-friendly for those launching paddle-style crafts.

“The project involves removing the top layer of the sand surface and replacing with a topsoil and grass seed that can be easily maintained. Drainage and environmental considerations and remediation as needed will be addressed by the city engineer and environmental staff.”