The Sudbury Rowing Club is celebrating a $6,000 Trillium Foundation grant that allowed them to purchase two used single sculls, providing more opportunities for Sudburians to row Ramsey Lake.
On July 16, Sudbury MPP Jamie West, Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas and Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) volunteer Kerry Latham met with members of the Sudbury Rowing Club to see what the $6,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant purchased.
The grant enabled the Club to increase the size of its small fleet of single sculls. The additional boats allowed the club to “switch its focus to teaching new rowers in smaller boats.”
“Prior to the pandemic, the club used larger boats that seat eight rowers to attract and teach new rowers” said Susan Bruce, president of the Sudbury Rowing Club. “During the pandemic, this became impossible due to social-distancing concerns. The consequence for our club was a sharp decline in new members.
This season, the Learn to Row programs were able to use smaller boats, a change that seems like it will stick.
“Going forward, it seems that this adjustment to smaller boats may stick. We are incredibly grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for giving us this opportunity,” Bruce said.
