Boathouse District

The Boathouse District is a row of boathouses and attractions along the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City. The Boathouse District offers activities such as recreational and elite rowing and kayaking, fitness facilities, private event spaces and RIVERSPORT Adventures, an outdoor adventure park. The Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation, which manages the Boathouse District, has been named a U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Site by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The development of the Boathouse District began with the early 1990s revitalization of the seven-mile section of the North Canadian River that runs through Oklahoma City. As rowing gained popularity in Oklahoma City on Lake Overholser, it was discovered that the Oklahoma River would be a perfect waterway for rowing. The Oklahoma Association of Rowing began a grassroots effort to build a boathouse along the shores of the Oklahoma River. Aubrey McClendon and Clay Bennett soon took interest in the project and secured funding for the multimillion-dollar boathouse.

The first boathouse in the Boathouse District, the Chesapeake Boathouse, was built in 2006. The Devon Boathouse was completed in 2010, followed by the Chesapeake Finish Line Tower in 2011. The CHK|Central Boathouse is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in spring 2015. Plans for the University of Oklahoma Boathouse are underway.

The Chesapeake Boathouse, built in 2006, was the first structure on the newly revitalized Oklahoma River. Today it anchors the Boathouse District and serves as the community boathouse on the river.

The design is the vision of Oklahoma City architect Rand Elliott with primary funding for the project provided by Chesapeake Energy Corporation.

The design of the Chesapeake Boathouse represents a sleek rowing shell with translucent polycarbonate walls offering a dramatic nighttime image of the building “floating” above the river. Sixteen columns of light representing oars highlight the reflecting pool at the “bow” of the building. Features of the $3.5 million facility include:

The Devon Boathouse is the home of Oklahoma City University Rowing and Canoe/Kayak and headquarters for the OKC National High Performance Center. The OKC National High Performance Center provides training opportunities for Olympic hopefuls in both rowing and canoe/kayak.

Designed for OCU by Rand Elliott, Elliott & Associates Architects, the Devon Boathouse is one in a series of iconic boathouses in the Boathouse District at the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City. Its dramatic architecture creates a striking image against the backdrop of Oklahoma City’s downtown skyline and creates the impression of the boathouse’s “prow” breaking the river’s edge.

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