MANNING River Rowing Club officials have no idea when work will begin on repairing the damage caused in the wild storm that hit the clubhouse on Saturday March 9.
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The upstairs section of the club house was smashed when three quarters of the roof was torn off during the maelstrom. A temporary roof has been put in place, however, the clubhouse is currently out of bounds, with temporary fencing in place.
The storm hit while the club was hosting the Central Districts regatta. This attracted 13 clubs from the Central Coast to Brisbane. However, despite the chaos there were no serious injuries. A coach from the Newcastle Grammar Rowing Club suffered a laceration when struck by debris and spent the night in Manning Hospital, but he was released the next day.
Rowing club official Hugh McLeod said negotiations continue between the club's building and finance committees and relevant parties, but he said there's no date yet agreed on as to when work will begin.
"It might be six months, it might be two years,'' Mr McLeod said.
"Nothing has been confirmed at this stage and nothing has been signed.''
He said the upstairs section is in a 'bad state.'
Mr McLeod said the majority of the club's boats are still in the downstairs section, which he said is secure. However, craft required for upcoming State and Australian Masters regattas have been stored separately.
Other than masters events, the rowing season is now in recess. However, Mr McLeod admits he doesn't know how it might impact on the club if work still hasn't started on the clubhouse when rowing resumes.
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The club's major event, the three-day Taree Summer Regatta is scheduled for next January. This year's regatta attracted more than 600 rowers. Mr McLeod was reluctant to comment on the fate of the 2020 regatta if work hasn't started by then or isn't complete. However, he said the club won't be able to use the nearby junior sailing club as a temporary base.
"Our boats are too long to fit in there,'' he explained.
Mr McLeod said it is now a waiting game.
The club was out of action for more than 12 months when it was extensively damaged during the 1978 flood.