£565,000 investment in Evesham Rowing Club

Posted on October 21, 2005 | Filed under The club

Work is about to start on a half million pound-plus development at Evesham Rowing Club. The first stage of the project is due to be completed by next April in time for the club’s biggest event of the year: Evesham Regatta.

The club, which enjoys prime riverside frontage onto the River Avon, will be transformed into a top-class multi-sport facility offering rowing, squash, tennis and a fully equipped gymnasium. The redevelopment is costing £565,000 - a large proportion of the cost has been provided by a National Lottery grant of £329,000 through Sport England.

Further monies have come from a grant and a loan from the Lawn Tennis Association, a grant from Wychavon District Council and a loan from John Smith’s Central, the club’s Brewery supplier. The club has contributed a considerable amount from its own coffers, and will pay the loans back over the next 10 years, to enable the full redevelopment to go ahead.

The improvements include the building of a new gymnasium, weights room and changing rooms, with full access for the disabled, including ramps and a lift. Outside, three new floodlit acrylic tennis courts are to be built alongside the current hard courts - doubling the all-weather tennis facilities. Work on the courts is set to start next May, after the Regatta, and is planned for completion by June 2006.

The popular function room, with balcony overlooking the river, is to be completely refurbished with new kitchen and will once again offer an attractive setting for weddings, parties and conferences. This is a separate project being run by volunteer club members.

Club chairman, John Lomas, says: ‘We are delighted that work is starting on the capital projects that Evesham Rowing Club desperately needs to bring it into the 21st Century. The club has a long tradition of providing coaching and sporting facilities in a fantastic location and we hope that the new development will place Evesham Rowing Club at the heart of the sporting community in the town and surrounding areas. I would like to thank the Birmingham office of Sport England for their help and advice, the local Lawn Tennis Association representatives and the officers of Wychavon District Council who have both been very helpful and supportive of this project since its’ inception. I would also like to place on record my appreciation of the hard work carried out by our architect, Patrick Burton, our quantity surveyors Castons and also the many members of Evesham Rowing Club who have devoted much of their valuable time to help bring this project to fruition.’

Derrick Anderson, Chair of Sport England’s Regional Sports Board was delighted to award lottery funding to the Club, stating “The funding awarded will allow Evesham Rowing Club to further develop a high quality multi-sport environment and to give the residents of Evesham and the surrounding area the opportunity to get active and stay active, whatever their circumstances”

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