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Boathouse Renaissance: RIT design students suggest renovations to banding station

During the fall, 2002 banding season John Waud arranged for a meeting between BBBO and RIT Design and Graphics professor, Nancy Chwiecko. Her students, Kelly Fey and Katie Duran, took on the assignment to create plans for the redesign of the “boathouse” as an independent study project. The boathouse is the building where BBBO staff band birds at the Kaiser-Manitou Beach station. The students toured the facility to see the actual building, surroundings. They also met with BBBO staff and to gather information on our needs, ideas and concern. The students then worked for two semesters on the redesign project. Their research included learning about bird behavior, health and safety concerns for the researchers, the history of the building, and zoning issues.

On March 21, 2003, Kelly and Katie, met with BBBO staff members Bob McKinney, Ed McCrea, David Semple, Liz Barry, Jeanne Skelly and Patricia F. Lovallo to present the final concept. Included in the presentation were drawings and floor plans for suggested changes for the boathouse and the surrounding area. Some suggestions were simply to move or reposition items such as the banding table and the refrigerator and to hang a net or curtain to create separate workspaces. Other suggestions included adding an outdoor patio, wash basin, more windows, different window covers, and the creation of a new doorway on the parking lot side of the building. The students brought samples of the materials that they felt would work best and most economically. One sample was of a proposed floor covering made from recycled tires. This floor covering provides a surface that hides dirt and is a lot kinder to feet and legs than the present cement floor. The students also provided paint chip samples of colors that would work well in our building. Always keeping in mind the Observatory’s limited budget, the students located a company that sells serviceable but reasonably priced storage units to accommodate our storage and display needs.

In summary these designs provide a workable but flexible plan for future improvements to the boathouse and a more tangible focus for future fundraising. BBBO greatly appreciates the free consultation and fantastic ideas!