Boaters cruising the three rivers soon could cap a day on the water by taking in a movie and dinner at SouthSide Works.
Today or Tuesday the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is expected to accept a $1.35 million federal grant to build a 525-foot tie-up facility for recreational boaters, accommodating as many as 17 docks along the Monongahela River bordering the former steelmaking site.
"This is going to be great, not only for Pittsburgh boaters, but for out-of-town boaters," said Terry Grantz of Shaler, who runs the Web site boatpittsburgh.com. "It would absolutely be a welcome way to encourage boating in the region."
The docks are part of a $10.5 million plan to bring river access back to the South Side after it was lost to the steel industry more than a century ago.
"One of the things that the community wanted out of the SouthSide Works when the mill went away was access to the riverfront again," said Rick Belloli, executive director of the South Side Local Development Co.
In addition to docks, a portion of a concrete river wall will be removed, crushed and recycled to regrade the shore so people can walk to the river. Bicyclists could ride from the shoreline to Pittsburgh's trail system. The site would be handicap-accessible and historic parts of the former mill would be retained.
"These are quality-of-life amenities that encourage and really promote residents and visitors to enjoy one of our city's greatest assets, which are the rivers," said Christine Fulton, vice president of public finance and external communications for DOC Economou, which is developing a hotel and condominiums at SouthSide Works. "That's really what it's all about."
Work on the park is expected to begin this year, with dock construction beginning near the end of 2009.
At least initially, boaters probably won't be charged to use the docks, said Angelo Taranto, assistant director of economic development for the city Urban Redevelopment Authority.
In addition to the federal grant, money for the project is coming from state, philanthropic and private sources, including The Heinz Endowments, Richard King Mellon Foundation and the energy company NiSource.
The federal money is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service "users pay, users benefit" initiative that comes from taxes on boats, boating equipment and motor boat fuel, said Alberto Ortiz, grants coordinator for the northeast region, which includes Pennsylvania.
It is the largest grant of its type that Pennsylvania has received, said Scott Bollinger, boating facilities grants coordinator for the state Fish and Boat Commission.
Allegheny County averages 27,600 boat registrations each year, the highest in the state, according to the commission. Because more than 1,500 recreational boats used the three locks that access the Pittsburgh pool in 2006, the URA projects a steady stream of boaters using the tie-up facility, with a turnover of as many as five times a day during boating season.
Pittsburgh REI, which overlooks the Monongahela River at SouthSide Works, expects the docks to increase store traffic.
"We sell kayaks and you'll be able to kayak right to the store, so it's fantastic," store manager Ron Rodriguez said. "It's a whole other way to get to the SouthSide Works, which is great, and I think it will bring more people to the shoreline."
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