$ 627,000 Upgrades to Public Boat Launch Will Ensure Continued Access to Recreational Boaters and Safeguard Local Business Community

Project Grant Awarded by State’s Resiliency and Economic                                                Development Initiative                                                 

New York State Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez announced the completion of a $627,000 resiliency project awarded to Orleans County, through the State’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI). The Point Breeze Boat Launch is located near the mouth of Oak Orchard Creek, within Oak Orchard Harbor, in the Town of Carlton. During the historic flooding of 2019, the boat ramp became submerged, preventing access to the floating docks, and forcing the boat launch to be closed. The completed project will mitigate future flooding of the Point Breeze Boat Launch, ensuring recreational boaters have continued access to the dock system and to local businesses and popular tourist attractions. The boat launch, which was closed to the public during construction, is now open for boaters.

“The Department of State continues to work tirelessly to revitalize the waterfront and strengthen the resiliency of the Lake Ontario communities.  Maintaining resident and visitor access to the waterfront for recreational activities at this popular attraction in the Town of Carlton is critical” said Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. “The completion of the Point Breeze Boat Launch project will help mitigate future flooding and this incredible asset will be able to continue its role of bolstering tourism and economic activity.”

Resiliency measures implemented in this project included:

• Installation of new boat ramp and abutment above high water level;
• Sloping of roadway to the new boat ramp; and
• Regrading remaining portion of roadway.

Two additional REDI projects in the town of Carlton completed last year, which included shoreline stabilization along Lakeshore Road, and the construction of a new access road and shoreline protection along Lakeside Park Road.

Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy said, “The completion of REDI projects in Carlton serve as examples of the important work that’s being accomplished in communities all along the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River shorelines. Governor Hochul recognizes that New York State’s waterways are a critical asset for this region’s tourism-dependent economy. Under REDI, the collaborative effort among federal, state, and local governments is ensuring that flood-damaged infrastructure is repaired and made more resilient to high water levels in the future.”

REDI Co-Chair and Empire State Development Commissioner and President & CEO-designate Hope Knight said, “All across Orleans County’s shoreline, the REDI program has been instrumental in rebuilding flood damaged areas and creating economic development opportunities with an eye toward the future. The new boat launch site in the Town of Carlton is ready just in time for a busy summer season, thanks to Governor Hochul’s commitment to improving public infrastructure and providing better access to recreational and tourism assets in our waterfront communities.”

State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said, "Recreational boating and fishing are vital to tourism and the quality of life in Lake Ontario communities. I applaud the Department of State and the town of Carleton for working together to make sure the Point Breeze Boat Launch is accessible and reliable for the community.”

Senator Robert Ortt said, “I thank New York State and the Lake Ontario REDI Commission for addressing the need for this new boat launch at Point Breeze. The completed installation of this new and improved launch will now allow local businesses and residents to easily access both Oak Orchard Creek and Oak Orchard Harbor for business and recreational activities. Our state’s waterways are a valuable resource, and the reconstruction and addition of this launch location will allow all New Yorkers and visitors to our region the ability to utilize this resource to the fullest extent.” 

Assemblyman Stephen Hawley said, “The reopening of Point Breeze Boat Launch, just in time for summer boating and family recreation, is a tremendous development for the community. I thank all who worked on this project for their work to reopen the boat launch and ensure it will be less likely to experience flooding in the future like it did back in 2019.”

Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynn Johnson said, “With Oak Orchard Creek and Lake Ontario being two of Orleans County’s main tourist attractions for fishing and recreational boating, it was very important to us to build a more resilient boat launch that maintained safe access to these waterways during high water events. The docks of our previous boat launch facility were overtopped during the high-water events of 2017 and 2019. Those high-water events restricted safe access to the docks to launch boats. Our new facility will allow unrestricted safe access to Oak Orchard Creek and Lake Ontario for our boating community. We thank the Governor and the REDI Commission for their support as we continue to make our waterfront infrastructure more resilient to future high-water events.”

In response to the extended pattern of flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, New York State established REDI to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and bolster economic development in the region. Five REDI Regional Planning Committees, comprised of representatives from eight counties (Niagara and Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga and Oswego, and Jefferson and St. Lawrence) were established to identify local priorities, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and public safety concerns. Through REDI, the State has committed up to $300 million, to benefit communities and improve resiliency in flood prone regions along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. 

Since the creation of the State’s REDI program in the Spring of 2019, 134 REDI funded local and regional projects are underway, including 74 projects in the design phase, 23 projects in the construction phase, and 37 projects completed.

For additional information, project profiles and REDI news, click here

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