Lake Lanier Olympic Park

By Jane Harrison

Early this year, Lake Lanier Olympic Park officials excitedly anticipated a heat wave of regattas, concerts, festivals and special events at the lakeside venue when the weather warmed. Then in February, the coronavirus hit. Activity froze. Regattas canceled. Olympic qualifying contests were postponed. Concerts got called off. Festivals faded. Food trucks stopped rolling. The Olympic channel, usually teeming with crew boats, lay calm. The grandstands, empty and silent.

But, the unique park survived a challenging time. By reinventing some activities and capitalizing on health experts’ advice to seek outdoor spaces for fun with family and friends, LLOP drew new visitors and grew some programs.

As summer faded into fall, the 1996 Olympic legacy site crossed the finish line in sound condition, making ends meet while other gathering places struggled. The recent announcement that the 2026 NCAA women’s rowing championships are coming to LLOP foretells brighter days

By Jane Harrison

After a season of regatta cancellations at Lake Lanier Olympic Park, a bright beacon appeared on the horizon. The National Collegiate Athletic Association announced last month that the venue will play host to its Division I, II and III Women’s Rowing Championships in 2026.

The championship, one of the most prestigious events slated at the popular regatta site, is expected to bring in 36 teams for a week and generate an economic impact of $2.5 million, according to Robyn Lynch, LLOP executive director and Gainesville tourism director. “In addition, Gainesville will see an influx of NCAA rowing teams choosing to participate in regattas and winter/spring training for several years leading up to the championships,” she said.

It will be the second NCAA Women’s Division Championships to come to Lanier, also the site of other high profile inter-

PHOTO BY ALAN HOPE Colorful food trucks lined up at Lake Lanier Olympic Park last month for Food Truck Saturday. ahead.

Prior to the pandemic “we had national, national and regional regattas. The first NCAA appearance was in 1998, following in the wake of 1996 Olympic rowing and sprint canoe/kayak competition.

The City of Gainesville, University of North Georgia (UNG) and Lake Lanier Rowing Club joined the LLOP Foundation in formally submitting the bid in February 2020. For only the third time in its history, the NCAA undertook a site selection process where most of its championships were put out for bid at the same time, the NCAA stated in a press release.

NCAA reported receiving more than 3,000 bid submissions from NCAA member schools, conferences, sports commissions and cities vying to host predetermined rounds for 86 of the NCAA’s 90 championships. NCAA sports committees made selections of host sites based on criteria that included the ability to create an outstanding experience

the number of events planned, for student-athletes, along with adherence to NCAA sport-specific bid specifications

UNG President Bonita Jacobs said the university is honored to partner with the city and LLOP as the sponsoring member institution for the championships.

“UNG and the Nighthawks’ athletics staff are excited to help create a memorable and first-class championship experience for the student-athletes as we showcase the hospitality of our region and this incredible venue,” Jacobs said.

Gainesville Mayor Danny Dunagan shared the excitement, stating he was thrilled the NCAA appreciated features in Gainesville he and city leaders are proud of. “I’m always proud to remind folks, especially visitors to Gainesville, that Lake Lanier Olympic Park is home of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games rowing and canoe/kayak events,” Dunagan said. “We were hopeful our world-class facility, adding about five new events in addition to the events that are held annually,” said Robyn Lynch, LLOP Executive Director. Three regattas, the Lake Lanier Dragon Boat Festival, Spring Chicken Festival, The Lake Show, and approximately 10 additional events dropped out due to coronavirus concerns.

Lynch and venue manager James Watson responded by email to questions posed last month by Lakeside News about the state of the venue since the shutdown started. Officials from the Lanier Canoe & Kayak Club and Lake Lanier Rowing Club, both headquartered at LLOP, also answered inquiries about how their clubs navigated troubled waters.

A steady stream of park visitors and good turnouts for a few redesigned special events helped sustain the park that traditionally attracts thousands for annual regattas and celebrations, such as the John Hunter Rowing Regatta in March and September’s Dragon Boat Festival. The community welcomed back Food Truck Fridays over the summer in By Jane Harrison “Polar Bears” might wade into the new year at Lake

Lanier Olympic Park rather than taking a plunge in 2021. In

October, plans were under way to remake the annual Polar

Bear Plunge into a Winter

Beach Bash. “We’re looking to do a little something different … jumping off the docks is getting a little stale,” said Jim O’Dell, program director for Lanier Canoe & Kayak Club. Attendance has waned at the club’s annual New

Year’s dip, partially due to high water over the docks from heavy rains in December. In the re-imagined event, paired with our famous Southern hospitality, would make Gainesville a top contender for the NCAA ... We know our future visitors will love Gainesville as much as we do, and we extend our sincerest thanks to the NCAA for giving us that chance.” a new form. Parents enrolled kids in Kayak Day Camps. Families got out of metro-cities to explore the lake in kayaks, stand up paddle boards and canoes. Rowing newbies took up oars.

“The few events that were held were very well attended. What we did see was an increased use of the recreational facilities. The number of cars that have entered the park in 2020 is just short of the visitors from past year and that is with almost no events,” Lynch said.

“The community has taken advantage of the boat ramp, beach and picnic areas. We have also seen a significant increase in rentals of canoe/kayaks and stand up paddle boards. Lake Lanier Rowing Club and Lanier Canoe Kayak Club also had increased participation in its “Learn to” programs over the summer. Families are coming out and enjoying the park on a daily basis.”

The popular Food Truck Fridays, which attracted about 1,000 work-weary celebrants for monthly outings March-September the previous two years, resur-

See LLOP, page 28 New Year’s celebrants will likely rally at the LLOP beach to make a run into the water. “People may want to run away from 2020 and into the water” to flee from the notorious year that spawned a pandemic, O’Dell speculated.

LCKC and Gainesville park officials were looking at bringing in food trucks, setting up fire pits, and staging games and competitions for a winter party. O’Dell pondered a potential relay team challenge in the water and marshmallow snowmen contests on shore.

“It will be a really fun community event,” he said. More

details are expected this month.

Lynch said the local organizing committee of volunteers has worked diligently to keep the Olympic legacy alive at LLOP. “The committee is looking forward to hosting the prestigious NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships in 2026,” she said.