Channel Cat shifts into ‘whole new arena’ with upgrades

Local, state and national leaders celebrated on Thursday, June 1, the Channel Cat’s fully renovated John Deere Commons landing and dock in downtown Moline. That project was just the latest $2.1 million federal investment in this singular Quad Cities attraction. Jeff Nelson, CEO and managing director at QC MetroLINK, kicked off the Quad Cities Chamber […]

Local, state and national leaders celebrated on Thursday, June 1, the Channel Cat’s fully renovated John Deere Commons landing and dock in downtown Moline. That project was just the latest $2.1 million federal investment in this singular Quad Cities attraction. Jeff Nelson, CEO and managing director at QC MetroLINK, kicked off the Quad Cities Chamber ribbon-cutting event by thanking all who made possible the Quad Cities river taxi’s all-new and welcoming launch site behind Moline’s Wyndham Hotel. “When you start seeing the whole history of the Channel Cat over the last 17 years, it’s really become a community asset,” Mr. Nelson said. The attraction regularly checks off as one of the top destinations in the Quad Cities and puts smiles on faces, especially of the international visitors, he said. And now with the new John Deere Commons dock upgrades unveiled Thursday, he said, “we’ve shifted into a whole new arena. It’s now putting in some substantial docks that can actually manage the river that we address every day and improve the safety and the quality of that trip on the river.”

Dignitaries also were treated to a close-up look at the renovations as well as a short trip aboard one of the Channel Cat’s three open-air ferryboats working in the Quad Cities. The infrastructure project was funded through the Federal Transportation Administration Competitive Passenger Ferryboat Grant program. The project included removal of the old dock and and installation of an all-new docking system for the Channel Cat, as well as two new adjacent slips for the use of pleasure boaters. Also included were Americans With Disabilities Act and pedestrian improvements, safety and lighting improvements and signage enhancements. Mokhtee Ahmad, the Federal Transit Agency District 7 regional administrator, attended the ribbon-cutting for what he called “the only passenger ferry boat in operation in the Midwest in Region 7.” And he called the river taxi system – including these latest upgrades – “a legacy that stays.” “When I’m gone and somebody else replaces me it will always be here,” he added. “I will bring my grandchildren on a summer trip and say, ‘Look, Grandpa had a deal here.’” Mr. Nelson thanked Mr. Ahmad for his support of the Quad Cities over the years. Mr. Ahmad, in turn, touted the “fantastic job” MetroLINK has done in winning grants from the FTA for ferryboat improvements, including more than $7 million for dock projects and $500,000 “to repower three boats to extend their useful life.”  He also told attendees to expect more good things from the Channel Cat and MetroLINK  thanks to Jeff Nelson and his staff. “I know this man,” Mr. Ahmad said. “He is not going to stop here. He’s going to move on and he is going to find great improvements in the ferryboat service in this particular area. He’s just starting.” Mr. Nelson also thanked the City of Moline and the Moline Parks and Recreation Department, which will take over maintenance of the new and improved landing. Moline Alderman Matt Timion, the city’s mayor pro tem, told the crowd that over the past 17 years, the Channel Cat has become synonymous with the Quad Cities. “It’s more than placemaking,” he said. “It’s part of our identity. It’s part of who we are.” The Channel Cat is more than just an attraction, added Dave Herrell, president and CEO of Visit Quad Cities. “It’s more than how we activate our world-renowned river. It’s part of who we are. …  It’s in our DNA.” He added: “At Visit Quad Cities, we believe that we can become an internationally recognized riverfront destination, so if you want to be a great community, you have to have great things.” “We’re excited not only about the investment but the future of where the Channel Cat is going,” Mr. Herrell said. “It’s a platform for bringing people together and I think Quad Citizens, if you have not ridden on the Channel Cat in awhile, do it. If you're a newcomer, it’s a great way to get connected.” During Thursday’s ceremony, Mr. Nelson also paid tribute to River Action’s Kathy Wine who first brought him the idea of “a bus on the river.” She told him she had $50,000 to do a feasibility study. He told her those dollars wouldn’t get her very far. So, she bought a pontoon boat instead. That boat and its outboard motor needed a lot of repairs and she knew MetroLINK had mechanics, he said, so she persuaded the transit authority to help maintain the original boat. “It really had three great seasons,” Mr. Nelson said. Then one day she showed up in his office, handed him the keys and she said, “Congratulations, it’s your boat. You can either sell this boat or make it work.” MetroLINK made it work and along the way fulfilled Ms. Wine’s dream.  He told Ms. Wine, as the crowd broke into applause, “Your little $50,000 endeavor to put a boat on the water is now parlayed into about a $10 million federal investment, so thank you for giving that big step forward.” Mr. Nelson also thanked the project’s general contractor, General Constructors, and the union workers who made the renovation happen. “The fact that we had four different trades working simultaneously putting this together speaks volumes for what labor does for us every day.” Berlinda Tyler Jamieson, chair of the county’s mass transit authority’s board, also thanked the community for the support. “Metrolink and the Channel Cat water taxi would not, and let me underscore that, would not be a success without people like you who use public transit to navigate through our community,” she said. The Channel Cat is open for the season, running seven days a week through Labor Day weekend. Find more at www.metroqc.com/channelcat or @QCChannelCat on social. Channel Cat At-A-Glance:

• Passengers can board at four locations: John Deere Commons and RiverBend Commons in Moline, Isle Casino Hotel in Bettendorf and at the Village of East Davenport.
• Unlimited use all-day ticket prices are $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 2-10. Children under the age of 2 ride free with an adult ticket. 
• Tickets may be purchased on board or at Centre Station (cash only), or through the Channel Cat mobile app (credit or debit).
• The Channel Cat runs seven days a week through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4.