Indian River Rowing Club members and friends enjoyed the hospitality of Dr. Glenn and Emily Tremml at their riverside home at a cocktail reception last Thursday. The evening provided an opportunity for guests to look over a variety of architectural plans for Vero’s first community boathouse, which will be located at MacWilliam Park on land granted by the City under a long-term lease.
“These are all concepts by different architects. We have not yet decided on a final plan but in the next two months the board will pick one,” said IRRC board secretary Shotsi Lajoie. “The land was given to us by the city based on what was available by the river. We have the permits and are in the process of putting a fence around the property and building a floating dock, which will be available for use to the whole county.”
The club has begun a fundraising campaign with IRRC board President Chris Ryan at the helm, hoping to raise $2.1 million for the project in two phases. Ryan previously founded two rowing clubs in Pittsburgh, raising more than $4 million there, and was felt to be the perfect person to lead the charge.
Ryan said they already have two-thirds of the $100,000 needed for the first phase and have commitments for about one-third of the $2 million needed for the boathouse phase.
“We have regular supporters and we have a core group who has some tie to rowing, and those are the people who we hope in the end will come up with the rest,” said Ryan.
As they enjoyed the Tremml’s stunning river view, guests mingled with Joe Amlong, Olympic gold medalist on the U.S. Men’s 8 rowing team at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
“It really was a cosmic experience,” said Amlong, who was 26 at the time. “It was a do or die moment for us.”
Amlong moved here from Montana in 2003 and first made himself known to the rowing club at a City Council meeting where he spoke to request the city provide the group with a location. He was thrilled that rowers will have a place to hold competitions and promote participation year-round.
“The nicest thing about this club will be their location along the river here in the city,” said Amlong. “I am really happy with the progress they are making and I think that this is going to be the start of something that is going to last indefinitely. It won’t be many years before this location is world known.”
Vero has already hosted rowers from other cities, including a girls’ rowing club from Boston College that was here recently and stayed at the Vero Beach Hotel & Spa, and they plan to do more.
Board member Chris Pensch began rowing in July, 2015 when his daughter asked him to participate in a parent/child regatta.
“I was absolutely clueless when I got in the boat. I was so nervous,” he said. “My goal was to finish so my daughter could say we did it. The reality was I did virtually nothing in the boat, I was 230 pounds of ballast and she rowed us in. We still didn’t do so badly.”
Now addicted to the sport, Pensch said he rows almost every day, adding that missing a morning of rowing changes his whole day.
“It adds years to your life and quality to your years,” said Pensch.
