SILVER SPRING, MD-The
Montgomery County Department of Parks welcomes boaters back to the
parks this season for boating on the 75-acre Lake Needwood at Rock
Creek Regional Park in Rockville and the 505-acre Little Seneca Lake at
Black Hill Regional Park in Boyds. Boat rentals open for the season
Saturday, May 5 at both Rock Creek and Black Hill regional parks.
“We’re looking
forward to a complete season this year,” said Department of Parks
Needwood Boat Shop Manager Kevin Van Scoyk, “since last summer’s
devastating storms swept in and unexpectedly cut our boating season
short.”
Last June’s
unprecedented deluge completely devastated Rock Creek Regional Park,
including the Lake Needwood Dam and Needwood Boathouse. Repairs to the
Lake Needwood Dam are underway and during recent heavy rains the dam
faired well with no leaks reported. As part of the first phase of the
overall remedial measures program for the Needwood Dam, the Department
of Parks is working with a specialty contractor to install a grout
curtain below the dam to reduce seepage through its rock foundation.
The second phase of the project will occur later this summer.
Also, later this
summer the Department of Parks is planning a grand re-opening event,
June 9, in conjunction with Hudson Trail Outfitters’ Boat and Bike Demo
Days to celebrate the complete renovation of the Needwood Boathouse.
“For returning
boaters to Black Hill this season, with an interest in fishing, we’re
continuing to offer bait, hooks and bobbers and have established a
‘Fish Phone’ hotline-301-444-3151-with updated information on lake
fishing conditions,” said Department of Parks Black Hill Boats Manager
Steve Root. “No worries-for those simply heading out to casually enjoy
a boat ride-we still offer fan-favorites such as our 60-minute pontoon
boat tours of the ever beautiful Little Seneca Lake.”
An all-new boating
staff at Black Hill Regional Park is also eager to please this season’s
visitors. Black Hill Regional Park has a fleet of rowboats, canoes,
one-person kayaks and two-person tandem kayaks for rent at nominal
hourly or daily rates. The Lake Needwood Boat Shop also rents rowboats,
pedal boats and canoes and park visitors to Rock Creek enjoy 15-minute
cruises around Lake Needwood on the Needwood Queen Tour Boat, a
flat-bottom pontoon.
Beginning May 5, boat
rentals at both parks are available weekends only through Memorial Day.
May 30 through Labor Day September 3, both parks offer boat rentals
Wednesday through Sunday.
Find more information on the Lake Needwood Boathouse Grand Re-Opening event to come at www.MontgomeryParks.org.
For hours and
information on Black Hill Boats visit www.blackhillboats.com and for
more on Lake Needwood Boats, see www.lakeneedwoodboats.com.