Rowing club takes home top paint prize

THE winner of the Haymes Paint Helping Hands first prize has been decided following a public vote.

Although Pleasant Street Primary School and the Bakery Hill kindergarten were also the Ballarat finalists, The Ballarat City Rowing Club was the eventual grand prize winner.

While the other two will receive minor packs of paint supplies, the Rowing Club won a variety of Haymes Paint products to freshen up their premise as well as tradesmen to get the job done.

“We’re trying to undergo a bit of renewal; our goal for 150 years was to have 150 members and we reached that and now there’s lots of new things happening that have thrown the door open,” Ballarat City Rowing Club president Sue Peacock said.

“With the prize, they are happy to paint what they consider as the first floor because they can’t do two storeys, so we’re hoping to do the sign and everything below, that would make me really happy.

“It looks tired, we really just want to give it a freshen up and get it repainted, we might also see if the council are keen on putting some extra things out the front like some flower beds and cycle racks to make it feel a bit fresher.”

Grateful to have received the significant prize, the Rowing Club’s members all agree a re-vamp of the site is much needed for those that both use the space and live in the area.

The Ballarat City Rowing Club vice-president Sharon Waters said the refresh is just one way the club is working with the community to become a Ballarat hub for rowing in Victoria.

“There’s been lots of people congratulating us and saying how awesome it is, it really just needs some love,” she said.

“It’s very special that it is a local business helping a local institution, it would be really nice to keep it local and use local trades people for the works as well.

“It’s been crying out for some love because it’s a bit of an eyesore at this foreshore so it couldn’t have been a better partnership and we’re so thrilled to have won.”