In need of YOUR support. If you want this you must organize and let the city know!!

Dear Sir/Madam:

The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has been interested in providing boat access to the Northwest River for several years. We have been trying to work something out with the Northwest River Park authorities. As soon as all details are worked out and funding is available, I suspect access will be provided in the Park.

As for the other locations you are referring too, I'm not aware of any request from the property owners of either location, asking us to provide boat access on their property. If the sites are where I think you are talking about, they would not meet the criteria for public boat access facilities. The Department needs 30 car/trailer parking spaces for each concrete boat ramp, and a minimum of 3 feet of water depth at a 12% to 15% slope from the shore, to meet our Standards. The Department must provide strict compliance with established Standards for boating access that proves responsible use of the Sportsman's dollar.

Funding for our boating access program comes from a Federal Motorboat Fuel Tax Grant. Therefore, we focus our primary attention to the development and management of Motorboat Access sites. Typically, canoe/kayak access' don't rank in the upper end of our New Access Selection Process since we don't receive funding from these non-powered water-craft.

I would suggest you share your concern with the Chesapeake City Officials. They may provide more in-depth answers to the questions you raise, and the sites you mention.

If you own property on any of these water bodies, and would like to offer control of the property to the Department for the next 20 years, we would look forward to discussing the opportunity to work with you to provide additional boat access in this area. Trying to find suitable property along desirable water is a difficult task, and one that is becoming more difficult every day.

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss further, please feel free to contact me. Thanks.
Stephen Kesler
Boating Access Program Manager
8940 BEVILS BRIDGE ROAD
AMELIA, VA 23002

{804} 561-1447 office
(804) 840-9493 cell
Unit # CO40