The Erne Paddlers Canoe Club has left the Lakeland Canoe Centre on Enniskillen’s Castle Island after three years because members felt burdened by the overheads required for the building’s upkeep.
Accessing the island was also proving to be too time-consuming for the club volunteers.
At the December meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s Regeneration and Community Committee, it was recommended that the Council opens an expression of interest process for the Lakeland Canoe Centre following the departure of the Erne Paddlers.
The Council paper said that Erne Paddlers took a lease for a period of 25 years, which meant they were required to meet the costs of refurbishing the Lakeland Canoe Centre.
Paul ‘Harry’ Harrington is the Erne Paddlers’ new Development Officer.
“There is a sense of sadness about leaving the island because it’s such a lovely place to be. It is a special place to spend time and we all were somewhat enchanted by it, but it has also been a real burden on our volunteer and committee members’ time and effort,” he told The Impartial Reporter.
Mr. Harrington said: “The legislative, financial and health and safety overheads were too high.” 
He continued: “It was always going to be a big project for us to take on and we always knew that it was a great place to be based, but there were access issues. We were advised that it could be too big for us but we went in thinking we would give it our best shot and maybe we would get an outdoor business to partner with us.”
The club never managed to secure a partner or Sport NI grants.
“We would have needed tens of thousands of pounds to bring the building up to modern standards,” said Mr. Harrington. “We were never able to secure Sport NI grants because, when the money became available, it was designed in such a way as the club was ineligible,” he added.
The club “did a fair bit of work to allow people to use the showers,” Mr. Harrington explained. However, he claimed that “the building is no longer fit for purpose in terms of modern safe-guarding regulations.” Mr. Harrington added: “It needs to be substantially better than it is. It is over 25 years old.”
The Erne Paddlers Board and advisory committee “were not interested in becoming a commercial business in order to make the island work,” said Mr. Harrington, adding: “Their main concern is getting people out paddling. Now they are really invigorated about growing the club, taking on new coaches and building on our successes, rather than being constrained by the island.”
Erne Paddlers currently has 200 members and won the 2016-17 Club of the Year trophy as part of the Canoe Association of Northern Ireland’s (CANI) recognition awards. Described by CANI as “a busy and exciting club” it caters for all ages. Its disciplines include canoe, kayak and sea kayak, surf, sprint, polo skills stand-up paddle boarding.
Mr. Harrington explained that the club now has a secure compound for storing its equipment which is “only a couple of minutes from the Lakeland Forum and Round O.” “Having all our canoes and kayaks ready to go on trailers will make life simpler for the club, much easier for our coaches and really opens up the opportunity for paddles in many different locations,” he said.
Mr. Harrington added: “Castle Island would be a great location of a larger community enterprise or a commercial business e.g. glamping. There’s so much potential. We believe that rather than being competition for us, another water-based activity hub on Castle Island could strengthen the club in the long-run.”
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council had not responded at the time of going to press.