The Mount Holyoke crew team now has a new place to call home. Last Sunday opening festivities were held for the brand-new barn style boathouse at 240 Ferry Street in South Hadley. The boathouse provides a large boat storage space, two small bathrooms, and a warm-up/stretching area, as well an opportunity to expand the rowing program’s community outreach.

“I feel incredibly lucky that I get to experience the opening of the boathouse, especially since I started rowing before it was built, so I can appreciate how meaningful it is,” said varsity rower Allie Skarka ’12. “I’m also really proud of the community component the boathouse brings to the community, because I believe bringing athletics beyond Mount Holyoke is such a powerful tool to contribute to our school.”

According to Varsity Crew coach Jeanne Friedman, the new boathouse will aid the College rowing program “in so many ways – from recruiting to spreading rowing to the greater South Hadley community.” At the boathouse opening last Sunday, Friedman emphasized that the new facility is not just a place to house the crew team, but a place where the team can feel at home. “This new building is our HOME – a place of security and permanence. A place to store our past memories, house our current aspirations and dream of our future.”

Several crew team members expressed feeling fortunate in being able to experience this new home. “I’m so lucky. The seniors have been waiting for four years and they finally got it. I just joined crew team two month ago and I got to use this fabulous boat home,” remarked Yucheng Chen ’13. “I feel completely lucky and privileged to be able to row out of such an amazing and terrific boathouse,” added Megan Roark ’12. “Our boathouse is now a ‘boat home.’ It truly feels that way, not only with our team, but the community that will be able to row out of the boathouse.” Captain Caitlin Parsley ’10 also praised the team’s new home, saying “The new boathouse is wonderful. It’s great to finally have a place of our own where we can keep our boats, gather in the mornings, and row out of every day. I am incredibly grateful and thankful that I am able to row out of the boathouse for my last semester at Mount Holyoke.”

Related posts:

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2. President christens boat, rows with crew team on river
3. Crew team hosts Seven Sisters Championship, places fourth
4. Crew celebrates its 35th anniversary
5. Crew captures the cup at NEWMACs