Hammersmith & Fulham Community Rowing Centre
The Thames Regional Rowing Council is pleased to be able to announce its plans for an exciting new waterside development in Hammersmith. The proposed Junior Rowing Centre for Hammersmith and Fulham is currently being developed by the TRRC in conjunction with Goodman, a development company building residential accommodation 500m downstream of Hammersmith Bridge.
The TRRC has been working closely with Sport England London and the National Sports Foundation who have both agreed to help develop the scheme. Other key partners currently include: London Youth Rowing; Hammersmith and Fulham Council; Sport England; Betfair; the London Marathon Trust; the Boat Race Company Ltd, the Port of London Authority and the ARA.
The scheme will cost £2.4 million, which we are close to raising with substantial contributions from Goodman, Betfair and the London Marathon Trust. We are also working with the National Sports Foundation and Sport England who are keen to support this project.
There are a number of key objectives for the project which explain how the new centre will support and complement existing rowing activity in the area.
1) Increase under 18 Participation
The primary aim of the Hammersmith Junior Rowing Centre is to introduce more young people of all abilities to rowing, indoor rowing and sport in general.
Hammersmith & Fulham is one of London's smallest boroughs but it has the 4th highest population density in the whole city. This lack of space means that it has a fraction of the standard recommended space set aside for sporting activities. Of the eight local secondary schools, only one offers rowing and they have to travel out of the borough to do so. On top of this many of the local rowing clubs do not have the capacity or facilities available to be able to accept large numbers of juniors and are having to turn people away as a result.
Therefore, in partnership with London Youth Rowing the TRRC aim to develop a major rowing centre for young people in West London.
- Establish links with local schools, colleges, youth clubs and community groups to encourage participation in dry and wet rowing.
- Establish a West London centre for adaptive rowing for young people with disabilities
- Develop a major indoor rowing initiative within H&F. Develop inter-school and borough competition leading to participation in the London Youth Games.
- Provide pathways for talented and committed young people to progress into adult programmes at other rowing clubs in the area, and create an opportunity for young rowers to succeed at the highest level.
2) Increase Adult Participation
Recreational rowing and indoor rowing provide an unprecedented opportunity for rowing to contribute significantly to the broader sporting agenda.
- Run Open days and Roadshows to publicise rowing, sport in general and the new facility available to the local community.
- Work with Primary Care trusts and local GP referral schemes to raise awareness of the importance of physical activity and actually get people out there doing it.
- Provide facilities for Recreational rowing.
- Run ARA Adult Learn-To-Row programmes
- Develop a framework with local clubs who can accept adults who have completed learn-to-row courses and who wish to continue in the sport.
3) Become an Administrative and Training centre for the Thames Region.
- Facilities for high quality Coach and Volunteer training, that will motivate professionals and volunteers alike to enthuse, deliver and expand the sport.
- An educational centre for rowing and other sports at a local, regional and national level.
- Facilities to deliver club accreditation and development programmes.
- Facilities to provide for the on-going support of professionals and volunteers working in Sport.
- Safety centre to encourage and develop safe practices in rowing and the culture of safety in general.
- Offices and meeting rooms for the TRRC that will help with its’ organisational effectiveness and ensure strong local leadership.
4) Support National Rowing Events taking place in London
The site of the proposed new centre is conveniently located about halfway along the championship course, this and the expected availability of office parking space within the development at weekends, mean that it will be a valuable asset to those organizing events on the Tideway.
- Install the technology required for effective communications over the Tideway from this unique location.
- Provide a dedicated pontoon for easy access for event officials' boats, safety boats and the PLA / RNLI that keeps these craft away from the rowing boats.
- Develop a partnership with The Boat Race. LYR and H&F already have a close association through joint management of the NJIRC.
5) Provide a Multi-sport environment
- Work towards multi-sport provision. In particular, indoor rowing and the fitness centre will provide a gateway to other sports. Increased awareness of fitness, nutrition and well-being are important objectives.
- Support other sports (such as canoeing and sailing) and keep fit groups in order to maximise the number of opportunities available to the local community.
The proposed centre has an opportunity to link into the marketing and publicity surrounding 2012 and benefit residents of Hammersmith and Fulham community. The scheme has the ability to link together local and regional strategies on Sport, Health, Education and Regeneration.
There are still opportunities available for organizations and companies to partner us in this exciting project and would ask that, if this scheme is of interest, you contact us using the contact details below, at your earliest convenience for further discussions.
Jim Harlow
Vice-Chairman Thames Regional Rowing Council.
E-mail - downriver@thames-rrc.org
Phone 07710 761313
