Thames Horizon Shuffleboard Club has long been proud of its courts, but now they can also show off their renovated kitchen, lounge and bathrooms when hosting tournaments.
Thames Horizon Shuffleboard Club has long been proud of its courts, but now they can also show off their renovated kitchen, lounge and bathrooms when hosting tournaments.
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A grand opening was held Thursday to celebrate the completion of the upgrade, some by club members, who put in 468 person-hours of work.
Eight members, with skilled trade backgrounds in construction, electrical and plumbing, “stepped up” to put in the labor, said club president Al Little.
The work included replacing kitchen ceiling tiles, most of the flooring and joists in the kitchen and lounge areas, and redoing the bathrooms with new toilets, taps and flooring, he said.
“It’s beautiful,” Little said. “We already had top-notch courts, now we have top-notch facilities.
“When we’re hosting tournaments this year, I think everyone is going to be impressed,” he added.
The shuffleboard club has teamed up with Community Living Chatham-Kent during this process.
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After seeing a Daily News story, the agency agreed to lend its charitable number so the club could obtain a $7,500 grant from the South Kent Wind community fund via the Chatham-Kent Community Foundation.
The club welcomed the chance to teach Community Living members how to play shuffleboard. About 25 will be at the club Tuesday for the first of many planned visits.
“It’s turned into a really nice relationship that we’re building,” said Jenny McGregor, the agency’s community relations manager.
There’s been a lot of interest among people the agency supports in coming out to play, she added.
Shuffleboard doesn’t require a lot of physical ability and it’s fun, Little said.
Chris Pegg, the community foundation’s executive director, said they learned about the project through its application process.
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Wind farm operator South Kent Wind, whose community fund provided the grant money, “has been a real champion of this project,” Pegg said.
The six-court facility opened in 1987 on land donated by the Mackness Family. The late Harold Mackness was a founding member.
Kevin Aikenhead, South Kent Wind’s facility manager, said property owner Dennis Mackness reached out to see if the company provided funding for such projects.
“He was awesome to work with and very eager. . . and we were happy to facilitate the funds,” Aikenhead said.
Aikenhead, a Chatham native, said club members did great work and the money was spent well on the project. “I’m very, very impressed with it.”
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