Broken glass and lumber litter the streets while the smell of fish lingers in the air. Barbed wire fences and old, possibly abandoned houses line the street as garbage trucks move in and out of two nearby waste management buildings.
In this same neighborhood, a pristine white sign placed on a warehouse’s red brick wall reads, “Fairfield University Stags BOAT HOUSE.”
An old Knowlton Street warehouse along the Pequonnock River in aging, downtown Bridgeport, recently became the new home to the Stags’ rowing team.
However, the old saying, “You can’t judge a book by its cover” applies to the crew team, whose dilapidated facilities are no indication of a lacking morale.
“I consider us lucky to have an actual building to row out of,” said Scott Grady ’09. “It’s a work in progress, but it’s necessary to look at the positives. It’s heated, there are no leaks, it’s secure and we have a working bathroom.”
Head coach Dave Patterson said that the team’s last boathouse on the Housatonic River in Shelton, Conn., was more of a glorified tent. And while the new facility may be a little run down, Patterson said most teams do not even have a physical building to work out of.
Indoor plumbing and heating were not the biggest motives behind Fairfield’s choice to move to Bridgeport; it was all about location.
“The team would spend 25 minutes traveling to practice and spend 45 minutes to an hour traveling home,” said Patterson. “And when a team is spending an hour and a half in travel that impacts the amount of time you actually do your sport. And people don’t get fast in the water by sitting in vans.”
The shorter commute to Bridgeport not only extends practice time, but the team also hopes it will help keep rowers on the roster.
“The commute will probably keep more people on the team since we get up at least a little later,” said Lindsay Ryan ’09. “And, of course, the longer practices are also only helping us get better and stronger.”
Ryan feels that the team has made many improvements since switching to the new facility. “Some of our races are tricky with [going under] bridges and turns, and we have plenty of both on the new water which is good practice for our coxswains,” she said.
Grady agreed: “[There is] no real debris to deal with on the river. After rainstorms in Shelton the river would be literally filled with garbage, sticks, you name it. It’s nice to not have to deal with that.”
He also said the water is relatively flat, which makes for smoother rowing.
While the switch to Bridgeport has proven to be beneficial for the team so far, Athletic Director Gene Doris hopes it will also prove beneficial for the surrounding area.
“Fairfield University is very heavily committed to the redevelopment of the city of Bridgeport,” said Doris. “There is a lot going on, similar to when we decided to make the move to the Arena downtown; before it was built, you had to say, “What is this going to look like when it is done?” and it is very similar to this.”
Doris mentioned that while the property, at first, doesn’t seem appealing to the eye, there is a lot in store for renovations on the building and for the waterfront area.
“The ability to have an impact on the redevelopment of that area is mutually a good situation,” he said.
Bridgeport hopes to redevelop Knowlton Street with waterfront condos, restaurants and docks. In addition, the Stags’ current boathouse will go under renovations with the eventual hopes of starting a rowing club along with a first class rowing facility.
While the surrounding area is still in the planning phase, it appears that the team is already having a positive effect on the neighboring community.
“We bring a new sport to the area and people seem very interested in what we’re doing,” said Grady. “Every day it seems like people give us ‘shout-outs’ as we row by; it’s pretty cool that what we are passionate about is interesting to others.”
Ryan said it has created a new kind of publicity for the team.
“There are always people around watching, waving, cheering and asking who we are,” she said. “This is good for the team and getting people to know Fairfield rowing.”
With multiple plans in store for the Knowlton Street boathouse, it may take some time before any improvements are made.
“There are some things that are tied up a little bit, with the election of the city because it requires the street that is next to the property needs to be reopened again as a street,” said Doris.
He also said there are phases that involve the city’s approval along with the approval of the people who are developing the building.
“The area is usable, but is it the final product? No, it is not,” said Doris. “I know it is being redone, according to a plan that the owners have.”
However, Doris continued to point out the potential of the building when it is completed and what it is going to be for the future of Fairfield rowing.
But it seems for now, barbed wire fences and old fish markets will have to do.
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