Robert C. DiMaio is a filmmaker, kayaker, volunteer, and long-time Long Island City resident. Whether it’s at a community event with his iPhone, or on a paddle with his GoPro, Robert is constantly observing and documenting his surroundings.

That inclination led him to make the film Waterways of Hope. Completed in 2017, the 18-min documentary chronicles the activism of individuals and local environmental groups working to regain public access to the city’s waterways and reverse the effects of decades-long pollution in the East River and Newtown Creek.

With a similar mission to North Brooklyn Community Boathouse, Waterways of Hope includes past and present members of NBCB, and our partners at Newtown Creek Alliance and LaGuardia Community College.

On November 18th, 2023, Hunters Point Library in Long Island City, Queens will be screening the film continuously from 12-4pm. Individuals are invited to engage in in-person discussions on the relevance of environmental awareness.

NBCB caught up with Robert to talk about the film and the upcoming screening.

NBCB: First Robert, tell us what your connection is to NBCB.

Robert: Thank you for the opportunity to discuss one of my true passions - kayaking in NYC. I am a founding member of NBCB thanks to the random nature of discovering communities. Without belonging to a community in the city, life can be needlessly challenging and barren. To me, our boathouse and the multitudes of activities associated with it, brings hope and contentment to everyone involved.

NBCB: While you were making Waterways of Hope, what was your goal?

Robert: Thanks to Dewey Thompson (NBCB founding member), North Brooklyn Community Boathouse represents the transformative power of imagination and creative use of natural resources. Few people living in this city realize the joy and healing qualities that our waterways enable. My mission as a filmmaker is to bring that spirit into community centers, libraries, schools, and to host facilitated discussions with people of all ages about the unseen impacts of NBCB.

NBCB: What did you learn during the process of making the documentary?

Robert: NBCB is not just about paddling. It is a case study in the ultimate valuable human skill: relationship building - on both land, and water. I met my wife through boating, won grants through paddling, and discovered the power of kindness through kayaking.

NBCB: How did Pete Seeger make it into your film?

Robert: I wrote him a letter and thought one of my friends was playing a joke on me when he called me up to participate in the project. I have a friend who does remarkable impersonations, and I automatically played along with the phone call to see how far he would take it. It dawned on me that I had never told anyone that I had written to Pete, so I slowly went into shock as I realized who I was chatting with….

NBCB: That’s a great story! Now you’re not just hoping your boating peers and community activists to watch this film, your intent is to have it screened at community venues. Why is that?

Robert: My mission is that no person living in this city misses out on the fun, educational possibilities of our waterways. We walk pass people every day who could potentially change our lives by being introduced to them. NYC could be a dangerous place to form relationships, are sometimes feel the need to vet who we befriend. NBCB is a remarkable social organization that provides team-building skills and activities that safely integrate people from all kinds of backgrounds. It is truly magical how quiet waters bring the best out of stressed people.

NBCB: How did your partnership with the Queens Public Library come about?

Robert: The Hunters Point library looks out on the east river. I wrote to them with a link to my film, that transported them to what they see every day.

NBCB: What can we expect from this collaboration between Waterways of Hope and the QPL?

Robert: Our main objective is to help parents learn to communicate with their children about what the waterways really represent. We paddle past families all the time, and know the kids are asking their mommy or Daddy “What the heck are those people doing down there?” My films and discussions provide literacy to kitchen table discussions between parents and their children about what a river is, and where it goes.

NBCB: What do you hope this screening achieves?

Robert: The QPL is the gateway to the Brooklyn Public Library, the New York Public Library, New Jersey, CT, PA. I won two major grants because I used the words “My films show the global impact of people learning how to repurpose their local waterways (everywhere) to engage and enrich their communities.”

NBCB: How can NBCB members take part?

Robert: This is a forever project that invites all members to come and give a talk after the film about how stroking a paddle changed their life.

You can watch the 18-min documentary, Waterways of Hope, on November 18th. The film will be screening continuously from 12-4pm at Hunter Point Library: 47-40 Center Boulevard, Long Island City, NY 11109.

All of Robert’s films about the history of boating on the East River and Newtown Creek will soon be available to view at Queens Public Library and New York Public Library. Stay tuned for updates and branch locations.

More information can be found at: https://www.waterwaysofhope.org/partners.

To see more of Robert’s work, visit his vimeo page.

Published Nov 12th, 2023 by Admin.

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