MANVERS WATERFRONT BOAT CLUB
CHAIRMANS REPORT TO 3rd AGM. February 22nd 2010.
As you all know this AGM is actually being held only 4 months after the last AGM.
Your committee has done this to enable the club year to fit in with both the reality of the membership year, and to better anticipate the completion of the Boat House building work and to try to clean up our constitution.
The weather closed in, in mid December and as a result outdoor club activity has been low. But none the less, Brian Saxton has been holding Canoe sessions on most Saturdays, the Tri’s have been largely off site using a swimming pool, and the anglers have been Pike fishing whenever the Ice has allowed.
As a result our membership in the last 4 months has increased further and the Secretary will give the details in her report.
The really good news of course is that Canoe England has so far raised over £350,000 for the fit out of the Boat House and this is due for completion around the end of April.
Canoe England still needs more money to complete the fit out with IT, lockers and loose furniture still to be paid for. Plus there is no money as yet for the external paths, patio, or landscaping.
A car park extension and a better track to the slip way are planned should funding allow. Perhaps we as a club could help here.
Turning to the Environment Agency’s initiative to “Open up the Dearne” for Canoeing. This is an EA initiative which we support. Paddlers have been paddling the Dearne for years, well before the start of our club, and whilst clearly we support the EA we have kept a low profile, and have not responded to the outrageous and inaccurate reports in the local press about us.
The Environment Agency has made a start to their Darfield Weir project which when complete will include a canoe shoot. We have continued to paddle the Dearne as before and quite frankly I just do not understand what all the fuss is about.
The EA have appoint a firm of consultants called “Icarus” whose slogan is “Making positive change” to act as intermediaries between the various interested parties.
Members of your committee have met with “Icarus” and will meet again towards the end of March.
To conclude, your club has made progress over the winter but it will take time to bed everything down. But we have made a start at producing a programme of events and actions. We are forging new links, with the Park Inn for example for accommodation, with a professional Triathletes events organiser, and we are continuing to try to raise grant money.
To paraphrase – “The future is bright – the future is your club”.
Chris. Hawkesworth – Chairman.
