By Patrick Crowley
The Cincinnati Enquirer

WILDER - The University of Cincinnati could receive preliminary approval Monday to build a $3 million boathouse and banquet center on the Licking River for its varsity rowing team.

The plans for the 9-acre Frederick's Landing boat launch and park are to go before the Wilder Planning Commission Monday evening.

Construction could begin this summer and be completed next year, said Wilder City Administrator Terry Vance.

The city plans to develop a $100,000 passive recreation park in concert with the rowing center. Preliminary plans are for a paved walking and bike path that would run from Frederick's Landing for about a mile south in a small valley between the river and Ky. 9.

"Recreation is something we've always worked to provide to our citizens, but unfortunately because of funding it can't always be a priority," Vance said.

But UC's infrastructure and utility work will cut the city's costs on the park, Vance said.

Wilder, in return, has agreed to lease UC the land free for 26 years.

The project will also include construction of a parking lot, picnic shelters, a walking bridge over Three Mile Creek and a new boat ramp.

Vance said Frederick's Landing is one of the few public river boat launches in Northern Kentucky.

Approvals are still needed from various federal agencies, including the Army Corps of Engineers. But those approvals are expected, Vance said.

"We wanted to do the park for a long time, but without this partnership with UC it would not have happened for another 10 to 15 years," Vance said.

The park is already used frequently by boaters and for parties, picnics, weddings and other social gatherings.

"People really love it because it's in a nice wooded area and it's right on the river," Vance said.

"We've even had wakes there where people spread the deceased's ashes in the river."

The UC rowing team already uses the Licking to practice.

The new facility is being built with the help of a $1 million anonymous donation to the university.

UC has already spent more than $100,000 on designing the facility, which started as a class project by architecture students.

E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com