As vaccines become more available, many institutions are back in business, or well on their way. The Cottage Park Yacht Club (CPYC) has big plans for 2021 and will be putting the pandemic behind.
“Together, we have been enjoying our club in a safe and responsible manner throughout the pandemic, and we will continue to do so moving forward,†said Commodore, Peter Towner, who recently shared a list of updates with members of the club.
“Sailors out of Cottage Park Yacht Club seized the opportunity of an open harbor for some exercise in September’s fresh, crisp air. Despite the following months’ winter chill, sailors have still been on the water through the Winthrop Frostbite Sailing Club, which has been active at CPYC since November.Â
Towner is excited to welcome kids to the waterfront once again for the youth sailing program and the kayak loan program will be back soon, possibly with the addition of a Rhodes 19 sailboat. In September, the club will be hosting the Snipe Western Hemisphere and Orient Championship, an international sailing regatta in the Snipe class. After a year foregoing the annual Commodore’s Ball which is typically held in June, Towner is hoping to have the formal event in late fall 2021. The Pilot House will be given a facelift, and the staff is looking forward to offer outdoor seating on the deck during the summer months once again.
A recent surge of new members is giving Towner something else to look forward too.
“We are welcoming new members weekly as interest in our Club continues to draw in sailors, boaters, and new Winthrop residents alike.â€
While the club updates are offering a hopeful future outlook, they did not come to fruition without countless hours of work and dedication.
According to Vice Commodore, John Cataldo, the club has continued to thrive thanks to the help of Towner and Club Manager Janine Stanton.
“Pete has spent almost every night at the club this past year. Whether he is picking up stock at the store, running food, bartending, cooking, cleaning, or attending dozens of meetings, he has been there consistently and Janine started before COVID donating her time training, programming and troubleshooting the new computer system.â€
After closing during the pandemic, Stanton became a major part of the reopening force, volunteering her time scheduling, ordering, waitressing, hosting, cleaning, and reporting to the board. This dedication led to the board offering her the role of Club Manager, which she gladly accepted.
“Without Pete and Janine we probably would have been forced to close the club for the year until COVID was over. It was their time, commitment and leadership that kept the club running smoothly. The board and the committees at CPYC have spent countless hours developing opening plans and compliance regulations to keep CPYC open through this difficult year. CPYC has stayed strong and shined through this pandemic, giving our employees a safe place to work and our members a place to enjoy the waterfront with friends while eating great food and watching beautiful sunsets. We changed our operations by adding waitstaff on the deck during the summer months and now in our new Westerly Dining Room, formerly the ball room. These changes gave our members the safest restaurant option where they can go to dine and feel safe.â€
While a lot of work still needs to be done, there is hope that CPYC will be better than ever, and 2021 will offer bright new beginnings.