Olympic Legacy Fund has provided £14,657 of match funding
Olympic Legacy for Ballyronan Boat Club
Magherafelt, Mid Ulster, United Kingdom
Aim
We want to upgrade our facilities at Ballyronan Marina, to make them more appealing for water users.
Who are we?
Ballyronan Boat Club has been running for over 50 years. It's purpose is to promote and facilitate community participation in healthy recreation. We do this by providing facilities, equipment and training. We organise events for boating and water-based activities, as well as assisting other sporting events, hobby groups, etc.
Why are we crowdfunding?
One area where we are lacking is in our facilities. Our changing rooms are in a poor state of repair, after 20 years with little maintenance. The original floor is rotten and is barely safe to walk on. The lack of ventilation, combined with wet sailing gear, leads to condensation problems. We plan to refurbish the changing rooms, with new flooring, toilet facilities and private shower cubicles
As we have taken on more environmental responsibilities and youth events, our storage facilities are inadequate for the equipment needed. Materials for the kids camp jostle for space alongside buoyancy aids, wetsuits, electric outboards and sails. As we do not have a clubhouse, a storage room often becomes a training area and equipment needs to be shuffled around to make space. We plan to incorporate bespoke storage solutions, to make the best use of the limited space we have.
The exterior of the steel anti-vandal cabins looks rather jaded and the steel has rusted through in places. We plan to repair the damaged areas and repaint the outside walls, to improve the aesthetics of the building.
The lights have fallen down in the changing rooms, so they will be replaced with warm led lighting.
There are very few sockets available, so some additional outlets will be added to allow people to charge phones, etc.
We carried out a survey among the local community and our extended network to find out what things prevented people from getting active on the water. Lack of facilities was one of the the top answers. This project is about removing this barrier to entry.
We do not have the funds to buy or build new premises, so we need to make the most of what we have. We are asking for support from the community who will benefit most from this project. It will provide safe and comfortable changing facilities, allowing us to run community events more effectively and encourage long-term participation.
How we’ll spend the money raised
We are planning to completely refurbish the two existing changing rooms. This will involve removing the existing fittings and lifting the rotten floor. We will then install floor insulation, mould resistant wooden flooring and finish off with an anti-slip safety floor. Private shower cubicles will be installed and a new boiler fitted to provide hot water and heating. Hanging storage will be used for wet gear.
The store rooms will be kitted out with bespoke storage solutions to maximise the available space and ensure everything is easily accessible.
The structure of the buildings will be repaired and repainted to protect them from further degradation.
Any additional funding raised will go towards an external steel staircase and a ramp to gain access to the upper level.
Cost breakdown:
Insulation - £1,500
Flooring - £8,800
Showers & WCs - £1,850
Boiler - £2,100
Heating & Drying system -£2150
Electrical Works - £900
Repairs & Repainting - £1,750
Clear Drains & Paths - £600
Storage Solutions - £2,850
Total project cost: £22,500
Community impact
Ballyronan Boat Club is working alongside a number of community groups to encourage people to get active on the water. These facilities are an integral part of our work. We want people to feel safe and comfortable before they venture out on the water. This will be available for swimming groups, paddle-boarding groups, youth groups, walking groups, photography groups and many other purposes. Our vision is to add a clubhouse in the future, which will become a social space for everyone to meet and enjoy each others company.
How you can play your part
There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!
This project successfully funded on 8th March 2026