MANVERS LAKE, WATH-UPON-DEARNE, ROTHERHAM, SOUTH YORKS.
Welcome to the Manvers Lake Management Committee (MLMC) web site and a few words of introduction from Canoe England’s National Facilities Manager – Chris Hawkesworth.
In late 2007 the Yorkshire Region of Canoe England successfully completed negotiations with Express Park the Waterfront developers for a lease of the former Wath lake at Manvers plus an area of land to enable the erection of a boat house.
During 2008 the boat house shell was erected, the slipway opened up and a number of uses of the lake were tried out. These trials included not just canoe and kayaking but angling, sailing, model yachting, model power boating and scuba diving.
In April 2009 a multisport “On site” club was formed, called the “Manvers Waterfront Boat Club (MWBC)”. Temporary use of the boat house was arranged whilst plans were put in place by Canoe England to fit out the internals of the boat house ready for full use from April 2010.
With the development of Manvers Lake being a new project, the MLMC is very much feeling its way, and, welcomes any organisation wanting to use Manvers Lake to contact us at Canoe England.
We would like any individual who has an interest in or wishes to use the lake to contact the newly formed (April 2009) the MWBC. The MWBC welcomes any craft that are non powered (except model boats), and at the end of July 2009 the club already had 57 members interested in Canoe, Kayaking and Angling and more recently members have joined the club who are interested in Triathlon, Running, Cycling and model boats. Also at the end of July the MWBC has two affiliates, Green Star Canoe Club from Doncaster and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme using the lake for canoeing and anglers from Rotherham Pike anglers have now joined us too.
Once the building has been completed the MWBC will share the facilities with Canoe England. It is planned that the Boat House will have Boat and Equipment storage, toilets and changing, a kitchen, offices, and multiuse function rooms. The function rooms will be available for hire. The building will be heated sustainably by using water from the lake.
Canoe England is planning to use the site as a Northern and Yorkshire Coaching and competition venue including a centre of excellence.
Canoe England is also negotiating with several sister governing bodies, including those of Triathlon, Swimming, Angling, Cycling, and Running with a view to them also using the facilities for coaching, training and other events.
It is envisaged that Canoe England will from April 2010 have an “On site” coaching presence, and that Canoe England will contract with organisational and corporate users and keep a master diary. Individuals will be pointed to-wards the “On site” club, the MWBC.
Canoe England it is hoped will in the long run provide additional facilities in and on the lake. These include a 500m 4 lane wide buoyed course for canoe sprint and supervised wild swimming. Also planned are two Canoe Polo Pitches, a number of flat water canoe slalom gates and talks are already underway with potential funders to provide these. It is also planned to increase the number of fish in the lake and talks have already taken place with the Environment Agency to discuss stocking and potential funding.
Chris Hawkesworth
August 2009
Visit the Manvers Waterfront Boat Club Website
The Boathouse – Under Construction
Canoe England Staff and Founder Members of MWBC
receiving the keys from Express Park
Manvers Lake Masterplan The proposed boat house internal fit out
Canoeing Trial Day 2008
