Clayton “divers’ access point” becoming a reality; volunteers will soon install the removable dock

Watertown Daily Times

By JAEGUN LEE
TIMES STAFF WRITER

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

CLAYTON — Local divers will soon be installing a divers’ access point at the east end of Frink Park just in time for the 2013 tourist season. Funded entirely through donations, the grass-roots project aims to attract more divers and kayakers to the tourist-driven village by allowing easier access to the St. Lawrence River. A dozen volunteers will build the removable dock — a 10-foot-wide by 16- to 20-foot-long wooden structure with a T-ladder — by May 1, and perhaps earlier if the weather cooperates, said local veteran diver Raymond I. “Skip” Couch. Mr. Couch, a scuba diver since the 1960s and a founding member of the Clayton Diving Club, has raised $2,700 for the project so far and has persuaded several local businesses to donate material needed for the structure, including the T-ladder. Once the dock is complete, it will be turned over to the village of Clayton. However, Mr. Couch said, members of the Clayton Diving Club will volunteer to maintain the structure and pull it out of the water every fall for inspection. Monetary donations are deposited in a village government bank account, and any leftover funds from the project will be used for future maintenance. With the divers’ access point, Mr. Couch had said, Clayton has the potential to become a popular spot for recreational diving and training.  He estimated that the removable dock would attract more than 50 divers every summer weekend. Almost half of the project’s total cost will be covered through donated material from Clayton businesses including Reinman’s Ace Hardware, French Creek Marina and Don’s Prop Shop.

Sketch of 10' By 20'  base dock for Divers access..

Sketch of exploded view of 10' By 20' base dock for Divers access..

 

End of regional dock where divers access will be deployed Clayton, NY

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Clayton Divers Access Platform Project

2011 dive near proposed acces site.

This is just an update on what has been collected for our Clayton Divers Access Platform Project. We appreciate all of the donations. We are about half way to our goal. We still have around 2 months before we start building. You can keep updated on our progress at:

http://www.cdap.info/

In September of this year, I proposed to Clayton Village Trustee Dennis Honeywell that a Scuba Diver Access Point could be placed in Clayton. Thiswould be at the East end of the Thousand Islands Regional Dock at Frink Park on Riverside Drive. This access point would consist of a floating dock with an attached T-ladder connected to shore by a ramp and steps. In the proposal the diving community will be responsible for building, funding and maintaining the dock while the village will acquire all necessary permits and be responsible for putting the dock in the water in the spring and removing and storing the dock for the winter. The access point proposal has been accepted by the Village board and will be funded through donations from divers, businesses and individuals. This is a great opportunity for the diving community to get good shore access to the St. Lawrence River in a great community. This would place a new site for both recreational Scuba and dive training to complement those already in Cape Vincent and Alex Bay. I will be coordinating the construction work and raising the funds for the project.

 

The Village of Clayton will provide a bank account for any donations to pay for materials. All work will be done by Scuba diver volunteers. Our plan is to have this completed by spring 2013. Donating sponsors will be recognized in this project. I will keep track of funds and donators and then provide the checks to the Village of Clayton for deposit in "the diver access point"account. Checks should be made out to "Village of Clayton", with a memo that it is
for "the diver access point".

 

Please sent checks to:
Raymond (Skip) Couch
17749 County Route 3
Clayton, New York 13624.

If you have any questions, you can give me a call at 686-5102. Any and all contributions will be welcome.

Thanks.
Skip Couch
skipcouch@diversguide.net

Divers access dock moving forward!

 

 

Ti sun, wed feb 13, 2013, Page 1

 

Clayton - … Feb 11 meeting of the village board…

During the trustee reports, Trustee Dennis Honeywell informed the board that he is in receipt of a letter from the Department of State confirming that the proposed diving access dock near Frink Park waterfront meets all criteria necessary for approval.

 

Diver near propsed location of divers access point. Clayton, NY

 

Village of Clayton Scuba Diver Access for Frink Park is moving forward.

Village of Clayton Scuba Diver Access for Frink Park is moving forward.  

Skip Couch prsenting donation to Clayton Village Trustee Dennis Honeywell
from Hunt Underwater Speciaties

On Thursday November 8th, Skip Couch presented to Clayton Village Trustee Dennis Honeywell the first generous donation check for the Diver Access Point. This donation was from Hunt Underwater Specialties that operates several dive shops and air stations in Clayton, Alex and Watertown area. The money will be deposited in a Village managed bank account set aside for this project.

 

 

 

In September of this year, veteran Clayton diver Skip Couch proposed to Clayton Village Trustee Dennis Honeywell that a Scuba Diver Access Point could be placed in Clayton at the East end of the Thousand Islands Regional Dock at Frink Park on Riverside Drive. The access point proposal was accepted by the Village board with funding being provided through donations from divers, businesses and individuals.

 

The Scuba Diver Access is a great opportunity for the diving community to get good shore access to the St. Lawrence River in a great community. This would place a new site for both recreational Scuba and dive training to complement those sites already in Cape Vincent and Alex Bay.

 

The access point will consist of a floating dock with an attached T-ladder connected to shore by a ramp and steps. The diving community will be responsible for building, funding and maintaining the dock while the village will acquire all necessary permits and be responsible for putting the dock in the water in the spring and removing and storing the dock for the winter.

Skip Couch will be coordinating the construction work and raising the funds for the project. All work will be done by Scuba divers volunteers. The plan is to have this completed by spring 2013. Donating sponsors will be recognized in this project.

 

Any divers, businesses or individuals interested in supporting the Scuba Diver Access should send checks made out to “Village of Clayton”, with a memo that
it is for “the diver access point” to the following address.

 

Raymond (Skip) Couch
17749 County Route 3
Clayton, New York 13624.

If you have any questions, you can give Skip a call at 686-5102. Any and all contributions will be welcome.