A date has been announced for the start of work on a new elevated clubhouse at Keswick Rugby Club’s Davidson Park.
It comes on the back of an announcement that the club has received £300,000 from the Government towards its £1.9 million Big Build project.
The welcome funding boost means the club can press ahead with building work, starting on Monday May 13.
The club is now almost over-the-line in reaching its fundraising goal and needs just £115,000 to hit its cash target.
It was one of seven community projects in the North West to take a share of £2.4m from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Community Ownership Fund.
Keswick Rugby Club was awarded the cash so it can make its clubhouse more flood resistant. The plan is to demolish the existing clubhouse and squash courts to create a new elevated headquarters and create additional car parking facilities.
The new building will provide a bar and viewing space at the ground floor and changing rooms and a gym at the first floor level. Access ramps and steps would link to the car parking areas and the pitches.
The push towards a new elevated clubhouse was a response to a series of flooding episodes most memorably in 1985, 2005, 2009 and 2015 that has seen various levels of water swamping the building and causing major clean up exercises.
The current facilities are also not good enough to accommodate the club’s growing rugby family that has seen it grow to 16 teams, including the Falcons women’s team which was formed in 2020 and now has enough players to support a second team. The women had requested more privacy and in response the new development will have six changing rooms with their own toilets and showers.
The club currently has 650 members and this is expected to grow to more than 1,000 by 2030 and it also has strong links with the town’s schools and Keswick Lions.
It also serves as a vibrant hub for the community and is a platform for various events and gatherings.
Club president Tim Green said: “I’m absolutely thrilled with today’s news on so many levels. Firstly, I’m delighted for the small team who worked tirelessly completing the grant application process and today all their hard work has paid off.
“Secondly, this is amazing news for our rugby club membership; our new clubhouse facility will be fit for purpose to facilitate boys, girls, women’s and men’s rugby without the constant threat of flooding.
“Finally I believe that this is great for our local community. The rugby club is used by so many people away from the sport and we will continue to make the space available for local user groups.
“Whilst much of the money for our Big Build has been raised by our members, the truth is that it would not have been viable to commence the construction phase without being awarded the £300,000 from the Community Ownership Fund and for that we’re hugely grateful.
To find out more about making a donation to Keswick Rugby Club Big Build Project, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/p3r4e-krufc-the-big-build
