Matt Hewson
Geelong’s oldest angling club celebrated the completion of its clubrooms roof last week.
The Geelong & District Anglers Club secured a $10,000 grant through the state government’s Stronger Fishing Club grants program in April and wasted no time in repairing the leaking roof.
The gathering on Friday, September 13 was part celebration and part thank you to the club members and supporters who had helped get the roof repaired.
Member for Geelong Christine Couzens and Victorian Minister for Regional Development Gayle Tierney were in attendance at the club’s rooms for the event.
President Ian Williams said the club’s members were “over the moon” to have the new roof completed.
“We first noticed it (was leaking) a couple of years back and did some patching, but sometime later we noticed some of our honour boards were damaged from water coming down the walls,” Mr Williams said.
“We realised that the roof was in serious trouble, so (club secretary and treasurer) Brian (Bam) did a wonderful job, managing to get the grant.”
The job is not quite done, however. Mt Williams said the clubroom’s kitchen and toilets do not comply with modern building regulations and desperately needed upgrading.
“Obviously we won’t be able to afford that, so we’re hoping to get further grants for that, but people seem to be on our side” he said.
Both Ms Couzens and Ms Tierney voiced their support for the club and its future plans for the rooms.
“There’s so much history in this club, and as a local member I want to see this club grow,” Ms Couzens said.
“It’s been a tough few years for the club, but you have the new roof now, you have plans moving forward and hopefully we can all work together to try to achieve that.”
