By Elizabeth Miller
Recreational boats will be allowed along Cleveland’s shoreline this summer during the Republican National Convention.
During the 2012 Republican National Convention in Florida, a security zone closed Tampa Bay to recreational boaters. But Cleveland’s downtown waterways will remain mostly open during the 4-day long convention, says Coast Guard Public Affairs Officer Lauren Jorgensen.
"Boaters should still be encouraged to go out on the water and enjoy a summer day in Cleveland," said Jorgensen. "Any closures that are in place will just be temporary for as long as needed for each particular event."
Jorgensen says those closures will be made available to the public before the convention. But the Coast Guard’s security plans remain largely confidential – including the number of Coast Guard members from outside of Cleveland who are coming in to help.
“For security reasons I can’t provide the specifics on where they’re coming from or how many people we have, but we do have outside folks coming in to assist us,” said Jorgensen.
Cleveland’s Coast Guard unit is working with several subcommittees overseeing RNC safety to determine security zones on Lake Erie, and they’re still in talks with the Port of Cleveland to decide how commercial ships will be directed. This will be the Cleveland Coast Guard unit’s first National Special Security Event.