Nov 12, 2025HTBS

Mystic River Boathouse Park: Inside the Red Buoys

The construction of the Hart Perry Boathouse has begun. The timber used is Douglas Fir from the Pacific Northwest “chosen for its beauty, strength, workability and cost efficiency,” according to SCRI. The boathouse interior construction will continue over the winter. Behind the boathouse construction (here viewed from the south side) is the Lovelace House. Photo: Göran R Buckhorn

12 November 2025

By Göran R Buckhorn

On a somewhat cloudy and windy autumn day, this reporter took himself down to the Mystic River in Mystic, Connecticut, to look at the progress on the Mystic River Boathouse Park, Jim Dietz Rowing Center and Hart Perry Boathouse.

Four months have passed since local politicians and representatives from Stonington Community Rowing Inc. (SCRI) broke ground for the $5.3 million park project, which started in 2016 when the town of Stonington purchased the land off Route 27 with the intention of creating a public park on the shoreline on the east side of the Mystic River. The park is going to be used by the Stonington High School rowing program, a new community rowing program, as well as giving community groups and members on both sides of the river access to the shoreline.

“Rock sills installed on the north and south sides of the park property will serve as wave dissipaters and are key components of the project’s innovative, environmentally friendly living shoreline. Emulating the effects of the existing stone remains on the property, the sills will enable native vegetation and marine life to flourish, in turn protecting the park from erosion,” SCRI wrote in a blog post published on its website in mid-October. Photo: SCRI

Since the groundbreaking ceremony in mid-July, the Lovelace House was moved away from Greenmanville Avenue to the north side of the property, so the house foundation installation could begin and the boathouse slab could be poured. After carpenters had repaired the Lovelace House, it was moved back to its permanent place by the road.

The cupola that’s going to be placed on the boathouse roof. Photo: Göran R Buckhorn

In a statement, Jim Dietz said about the project: “We’re inside the red buoys!”

However, SCRI needs to raise approximately $500,000 before the end of the year to finish the house restoration and boathouse construction, so the project can be completed in spring 2026.

In an email to HTBS, John Thornell, the Girls Head Coach, Stonington Crew, and Director of Rowing, Stonington Community Rowing, Inc., wrote: “The recent progress is exciting! To date, we have raised over $2.3 million for the rowing center. Our goal now is to raise roughly $500,000 before the end of the year. This will help us restore the Lovelace House over winter (instead of doing the restoration after the park and rowing center open to the public).”

Donations can be made online through PayPal or Venmo. Gift checks can also be mailed to Stonington Community Rowing, Inc., PO Box 241, Stonington, CT 06378.

To learn more, please visit the SCRI website.

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