DRAGON boat enthusiasts in the Camden Haven had a reason to smile last month.
The Kendall Dragon Boat and Water Sports Club received a grant of $15,000 to upgrade its clubhouse on the Camden Haven River, as part of the Kendall Op Shop Community Grants.
Club member Ian Campbell said the funds would make an enormous difference not just to the organisation but people who travel from neighbouring regions to kayak or dragon boat on the river.
The 15-member club was formed three years ago.
“I think it’s marvellous for the op shop to be giving these grants so that community and sporting groups in the area can prosper,” Mr Campbell said. “People come up from Foster and Taree and down from Kempsey and Port Macquarie to paddle on the river here, the water’s really good and almost always calm.”
The building once served as riverside change rooms for swimmers at a nearby pool, but had been vacant for 25 years, Mr Campbell said.
A NSW Government grant last year funded stage one of a three-stage renovation, to add a covered verandah, light fittings and power points.
The latest grant will fund stage two, the installation of power lines and sewerage pipes. A final stage will see the addition of a boat cage and a fresh coat of paint.
“It’s a slow process but it’s looking really good,” Mr Campbell said.
The club was one of 16 community groups to share in $72,600 in grants. Works are expected to start in June.