ALTON Canoe Club will celebrate its 40th anniversary next month with a party at Alton Sports Centre.

And it is trying to contact as many former members as possible to help make a splash on June 9.

The gathering will take place at the Alton Sports Centre Café and pool between 6.30pm and 10.30pm.

Founded in 1978 for social and fun canoeing rather than as a competitive club, for the past 40 years Alton Canoe Club has met for eight months of the year at the sports centre and it is with more than a small degree of anxiety that members fear this anniversary party could be its swansong.

According to treasurer and secretary Stephen Mannerings, there is real concern that in 18 months time, when Alton’s replacement leisure centre is in place, the facilities will no longer meet club requirements.

Catering for all genders, abilities and ages from the age of 10, the aim of the club is to teach basic canoe and kayak skills in a warm, clean and safe environment before letting members out on open water.

Members meet on Friday evenings throughout the year, with outdoor meetings during the summer months and pool-based sessions in Alton Sports Centre from September to April.

Up until now, Alton Sports Centre has proven a good teaching facility with on-site storage for equipment and 14 boats but, according to Mr Mannerings, the club is heading toward “an unknown future”.

He said: “Although we have been assured we will be welcomed back into the new pool, we are awaiting confirmation from Everyone Active and East Hampshire District Council that design details and amendments will be made to enable us to operate from the new space, as a pool without local equipment storage, external access, rope fixings etcetera means that the club would probably cease.”

What is needed, said Mr Mannerings, was accessible boat and equipment storage, rope fixings to facilitate the use of slalom poles, and water polo goals, as well as suitable external access to enable the use of other canoes and kayaks.

While the club received verbal agreement during a meeting in February of the sports centre redevelopment board, which Mr Mannerings has documented, and e-mail confirmation in April concerning Everyone Active’s desire to accommodate the canoe club, members are sill awaiting detailed confirmation that these requirements not only can but will be built into the new facility.

In the meantime, Alton Canoe Club would like to hear from former members who would like to join in their 40th anniversary celebration. E-mail [email protected] or just turn up on the evening.