Save the Ormond Yacht Club

Newcomers to the area do double-takes when they see the sign, Ormond Yacht Club, on an old gray-shingled building standing in shallow water just north of the bridge. They think the residents of Ormond must be kidding. What kind of boats would tie up where an oyster bar is visible at low tide? And of course it is a kind of local joke. But the aging stru ct u re is only a remnant of what the O.Y.C. once was. When built in 1910, the complex included a dock that ran all the way from the clubhouse to the main river channel. According to current O.Y.C. president Kevin Callahan, the club in its heyday even rented slips to residents of the Ormond Hotel. Callahan is also quick to point out that the current fund drive by members of O.Y.C. to stabilize the building has nothing to do with making it a working boat dock again. It’s the building’s history, its status as a local landmark, that’s worth preserving. Club members are worried that the structure won’t withstand another hurricane. They borrowed $45,000, on top of thousands they’d already spent, to replace pilings and to shore up the foundation and subflooring. The goal is to raise $100,000 to complete the job. As a means to that end, membership dues have been raised to $200. Membership, Callahan explains, is limited to 100; anyone wanting to join must get an application from a current member and is generally expected to have been a long standing re s ident of the Ormond community. Callahan himself joined O.Y.C. eight years ago and has lived in Ormond over 40 years. In the future the club may apply for grant money. The yacht club is, after all, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. N Other fund raising efforts include a banquet planned for January at the Ormond Beach Woman’s Club building across the street. But if it’s a private club, why should non-members make contributions? "We thought about that," says Callahan, "but when we tried to give the building away years ago, nobody wanted it. So we think of ourselves as caretakers." When the foundation is restored and the walkway safe, he adds, the building may be accessible for public visits. But most people donating money for the restoration don’t seem to be interested in what’s inside anyway. There’s not much to see, according to Callahan. Upstairs is a meeting room, downstairs a pool table. The highlight is the East Room window with a great view of the river. In other words, it’s the public’s view of the building from the shore that’s important. Or as one contributor said, "I just can’t imagine Ormond without the Yacht Club. It’s like a trademark." The hope is that more people will agree. Mail contributions to: Foundation Restoration Stabilization Project Ormond Yacht Club, 75 Lincoln Avenue, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 For inquiries, or to make banquet reservations call: Bill Partington, Fund Raising • Cell phone: 386-566-3004 Tickets are $40 apiece.