Christened with beer from the street’s new brewery and pub, this boat was named Fossgate in a cheering ceremony on Sunday (May 1).
The boat naming was one of the highlights of the first Fossgate Festival of the summer.
And as the Brew York ale splashed on the boat’s hull, it was a symbolic moment for the street.
York City Rowing Club carried the 9.4-metre long, two-man boat into the street for the ceremony, which celebrated the independent street’s incredible recovery from the Christmas floods.
“We are part of the great community that is York city,” said Pat Evans, captain of the rowing club.
“We were badly flooded on Boxing Day night, but what happened to us was nothing compared to what happened to so many people who had homes and livelihoods devastated.”
Pat said she was “immensely proud” that many members of the rowing club have been helping in the volunteer effort.
“We’ve named our new double scull ‘Fossgate’ in recognition of how resilient everyone has been to come through it all still smiling and to celebrate that Fossgate is open for business.”
Sally Wilson from Swirl, the independent clothing shop which flooded on Boxing Day but reopened at the beginning of April, said:
York is a river city and we’re proud that our street bears the Foss’s name.
We’re delighted that York City Rowing Club is honouring the street in this way and we’re looking forward to seeing the Fossgate being taken to the Ouse.
Fossgate is celebrating its recovery from the Boxing Day floods with monthly festivals over the summer, which will see the road closed to cars and the street lined with its independent bars and cafes serving food and drink alongside a full day of music and entertainment.
Fossgate the boat will be rowed on the Ouse on a daily basis by rowers aged 12 to 84. Club members invite everyone to give them a wave and a cheer of encouragement when they see Fossgate row past.