The Riverie is the most recent addition to Corn Hill Navigation’s boat tours. The new boat launched this month and will offer private charters, ticketed cruises and educational outings on the Genessee.
In advance of the official launch, the vessel hosted a group of students from the Rochester City School District. Patrick Russell-Walsh, the executive director of Cornhill Navigation, joined the tour for its first voyage.
“This is the first time we've had passengers on the boat as part of our programming,” he said. “So, it's a really exciting day for us.”
The students were there for a science lesson. Russell-Walsh said he hopes the Riverie can continue to provide hands-on learning experiences.
“They're going to do some citizen science, they're going to learn about the biological, chemical and physical aspects of the river,” he said.
“But also, I think for many of them, this will be their first time on the Genesee River. The first time seeing their city from the water.”
The Riverie will travel south from Corn Hill along the Genessee and into the canal at Genessee Valley Park. These tours are either 90 minutes or 2.5 hours.
About a third of the funding, $150,000, for the Riverie came in part from COVID-19 relief money the city received through the American Rescue Plan. These funds were intended to help the government recover from the effects of the pandemic. The rest of the funding came from individuals and organizations.
The push for adding a new boat tour route comes from the ROC the Riverway initiative, Rochester’s effort to redevelop the Genessee River waterfront.
