Inverness Canoe Club is embarking on a project to establish a new club base at Dochgarroch, to the south-west of Inverness. We have created this page to provide information to our members about the project, in the form of a questions and answers document.
The project will only be a success with the support of our members, so please take some time to read through the points below and, if you'd like to get involved, drop us a line at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
You can view all documents associated with the project by clicking here.
You can join in the discussions via our project forum: http://newclubbase.invernesscc.org.uk/forum
Project Questions & Answers - January 2012
Q1. Why is ICC is planning to move from the base we share with the Sea Scouts at the Muirtown Basin?
Over the last 10 years or so, membership of ICC has grown from just over 40 to over 300. This has resulted in a much higher demand for training and activities, as well as storage for a much larger range of boats and equipment. The Scout’s own use of the building has also grown, reflecting a demand that could see them using the building virtually every day of the week. Because of this, the Scouts are unable to agree to anything other than very limited, informal use by ICC.
Q2. Why can’t ICC use the building for an equal amount of time as the Scouts?
ICC has never had any sort of formal lease or arrangement with either the Scouts or with British Waterways Scotland. The Scouts kindly, yet informally, let ICC use their building, toilets, give us space for storage of most of the club’s boats and equipment, and car parking too.
Q3. Who owns the Muirtown building and car park?
The building and car park are owned by British Waterways Scotland and leased to the Muirtown Sea Scouts.
Q4. What’s wrong with just carrying on as we are at the moment?
The amount of time we can use at Muirtown is not enough for doing all the things club members tell us they would like to do. British Waterways Scotland have told ICC that they would not agree into a formal, long term arrangement with ICC direct, as they plan to develop this area and will ultimately require both ICC and the Scouts to relocate. This will eventually leave ICC without any locus for club activities and storage.
Q5. Why not just go to a bigger site and carry on sharing?
In the most secure, long term interests of members, the ICC committee decided that it must look into possible locations to establish our own base on land that ICC will either own or hold a lease over.
Q6. Who is looking for a new location?
We have established a small working group to consider various options and make preliminary enquiries to try to establish what might be feasible. The working group is made up currently elected ICC Committee members and former Committee members. The group reports back to the main Committee with their recommendations.
Q7. What do we need a club base for?
A club base needs to have:
- access to safe, sheltered, flat (non-moving) water deep enough to paddle on unrestricted daily access for club members activities
- scope for an extended range of club activities, e.g. all access paddling, competition paddling
- all ability access to develop a full range of club activities
- room to store the club fleets of sea kayaks, open boats, general purpose/river kayaks, paddles, helmets and soft kit properly
- hanging rooms, toilets and showers
- a room for members training and club management, with a galley
- good road access to the site and remain as central as possible in terms of being close to where most club members live and/or work
- enough space for a reasonable amount of car parking
- a supportive land-owner and suitable neighbours
- practical access to essential utilities/services and be physically developable
- a good chance of securing the necessary permissions (e.g. planning permission) for the intended use
Q8. What locations have been considered so far?
The sites closest to the centre of Inverness and meeting the club’s requirements were:
- Other locations around the Muirtown basin and locks
- An area close to Inverness Rowing Club and Jacobite Cruises Office where the A82 crosses the canal
- A number of sites around Dochgarroch
Q9. Why were other locations in Inverness not considered?
Apart from the canal, there are very few areas of sheltered water in the Inverness area and no others that can answer all the needs for a new club base. Also, planned developments in other areas would prohibit our proposals.
Q10. Which location is the front runner and why?
British Waterways Scotland has told ICC we can use a large, flat site at Dochgarroch close to services if they agree with our proposals.
Q11. Why this site?
Dochgarroch is only a few minutes’ drive away from the city centre and has many other advantages. Road access to the site already exits and there is ample space for car parking. It is adjacent to flat sheltered water on the canal, fast and slow moving water close by on the River Ness and also open water on Loch Dochfour and Loch Ness, opening a whole new range of training possibilities. The British Waterways Scotland Canal Manager has indicated that a location at Dochgarroch would help them to ease demand on their facility at Muirtown. Initial feedback is currently being sought from The Highland Council in the form of a pre-application enquiry.
Q12. What new activities could be provided?
Dochgarroch really would make it much easier to develop a much wider range of activity, e.g competition paddling, introduction to white water, playboating, safety and rescue training, canoe sailing, navigation and training for extended journeys. We could also carry out much more indoor training like First Aid and Child Protection with unrestricted access to our own training room.
Q13. What about the other sites?
British Waterways Scotland would be unlikely that they would sell or offer the club a long term lease of any land near the basin. The Highland Council is currently consulting on proposals to build a link road to join up the A82 from Drumnadrochit/Fort William with the Inverness Southern Distributor Road which would preclude any sites near the Rowing Club. Other sites near Dochgarroch and Dochfour generally have no services close by, would need road access improvements and have little or no car parking.
Q14. How far have we got with the plan?
British Waterways Scotland have asked ICC to send them a proposal. At the moment the project is in its early stages and there are no detailed plans or designs.
Q15. Have we any idea what the club base might look like?
Some rough designs showing ideas of how the building might look from outside, have been drawn up by a member of the club as a volunteer. These have been used as a starting point for discussion with the planners about the type of building we hope to develop. There will, however, be an opportunity for club members to comment on, and inform, the design of the building prior to any formal applications being made. One of the rough designs is attached below.
Q16. What are the next steps?
Once the rough design has been completed and we have in a sufficient degree of comfort from the Council and British Waterways Scotland that what we are planning is acceptable we will need to get a few estimates for the approximate build costs. Then we will have to start doing some serious fund raising!
Q17. How can we build a club base?
We must decide whether we can do some of the work ourselves and if we can find an architect and builder who is happy to work with us in this way, or whether it would be better to have a single company design and build the whole thing.
Q18. Is ICC structured properly to build, own and manage it’s own building?
It would be preferable for the club to changes its legal structure from the current form (an Unincorporated Voluntary Organisation) to form a Company Limited by Guarantee without Share Capital. Advice from the Scottish Canoe Association, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and Sports Scotland is clear that this is a highly advisable step.
Q19. Does ICC need to do anything else?
The club will also apply to HMRC to be recognised as a Community Amateur Sports Club and if successful, this will provide us with substantial financial advantages over our current legal form.
Q20. Are there any new responsibilities for individual members?
The activities the club offers and the benefits to members will not change. The only formal difference will be that club members will belong to a limited company. The personal liability of members of the club will be limited to £1. The personal liability of the Committee, which will become a board of directors, will also be limited to £1.
Q21. Why do I need to know all this?
At the moment we really just wanted to let everyone know what’s been going on and also ask for your feedback and general thoughts. We have tried to think of everything, but we are sure that other club members will have ideas we haven’t considered.
Q22. Can I tell you what I think?
Yes please! Please let us have the answers to these questions:
- Do you think what we’re proposing is a good idea, and if not, what do you think might be a viable alternative(s)?
- Is our vision for the club base suitably comprehensive or, conversely, is it too ambitious?
- Have we overlooked something obvious?
- Do you have any other thoughts/questions?
Q23. I would like to help – how can I get involved?
We really do need your help – this is a big project for our voluntary Committee. We are looking for fellow volunteers who have experience of managing construction projects or might have other relevant skills (e.g. architects, solicitors, building tradesmen, site workers, landscapers, fundraising etc) that they would be happy to volunteer to an extent to help make this idea become a reality.
Q24. Will helping take up a lot of my time?
If you would like to offer a specific amount of your time over the next year or two to join a team of volunteers assembled to help achieve this goal, you would be very welcome. This could be just a couple of hours or something more ongoing, it would be up to you to decide. Everyone in the club will benefit from your help, no matter how much time you can offer.
Q25. Who should I get in touch with?
If you would like to help us for the future benefit of all other club members, please contact a member of the ICC Committee to discuss how to get involved.
We have also set up a discussion forum that can be accessed at http://newclubbase.invernesscc.org.uk/forum and an email address for question about the project This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
