About a decade ago, the lower end of Augusta’s riverfront was thriving with the Boathouse serving as a hub for events, drag boat races and outdoor concerts.
Now, a padlocked fence surrounds the building, signs warn people of danger, and the grounds go unused.
Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson wants to change that. On July 25, he announced a ”bold, bold vision” to invest in economic development, tourism and outdoor recreation.
The plan which could use some funding from a previous Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax would extend the existing Riverwalk, create a nature trail on an existing roadway and rebuild the Boathouse.
Johnson said about $14 million was earmarked for a parking deck, a public-private venture, for Unisys; however, the company no longer has a presence in Augusta. That funding could be routed to this. With SPLOST 9 vote coming in November, an additional $5 million could be earmarked for the project.
“This is a shovel ready initiative. Let me repeat. This is a shovel-ready initiative. Demolition can begin immediately. Construction could begin in Quarter 2 or Quarter 3 of 2026. We anticipate full completion of this project —a new reimagined boathouse — within two years,” he said, calling the new facility a premiere venue.
Former Augusta Mayors Edward McIntyre and Charles DeVaney were staunch advocates of Augusta’s riverfront development. This would continue their legacy, according to Johnson.
Large scale events such as the Augusta Southern Nationals drag boat races and the outdoor concert festival A Day in the Country brought traffic to Boathouse area in the past.
Johnson recalled the concert stage being close to the water.
A Day in the Country ran for nearly 30 years, starting in 1986 and ending in 2015. It saw artists such as Blake Shelton, Vince Gill, Eric Church, Jason Aldean and Merle Haggard.
Sponsors cancelled what would’ve been the 31st annual Augusta Southern Nationals in 2017 a week before they were to be held.
The Boathouse closed about five years ago.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards and is the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
