Burnt Hills Rowing Association Dedicates New Facility

by Harry J. Darling

     On October 7th, the Burnt Hills Rowing Association dedicated the new Patrick C. Breslin Strength Training Facility. About 300 rowers, families, towns folk, volunteers, and contractors were in attendance to participate in the festivities. This was a most joyous occasion which culminated a year long effort to design and construct this facility in memory of Mark and Patty Breslin’s son who passed away a year ago at college.

     Patrick Breslin rowed with the Burnt Hills Crew since early middle school and during his senior year was the Boy’s Varsity Co-Captain. He loved the sport of rowing, but never participated in the winter training season due to the inadequate facilities that Burnt Hills had to use during the winter. These places included the Town of Ballston, Town Hall basement most recently. Shortly after Patrick’s passing, his parents consulted with rowers and coaches from the team and asked what the program really needed. The universal answer was a heated training facility specifically designed for rowers. This dedication completes that dream.

     The facility is a 4,500 square foot addition to the existing boat house. The main gym area is 2,500 square feet with an additional 900 square foot mezzanine for all the rowing machines. Adjacent to the gym area, men’s and women’s change rooms and bathrooms, all heated for winter use. To insure that the appropriate equipment was installed for the strength training of rowers, the strength training consultant to the Canadian National Rowing team developed a complete training program for youth, collegiate, and master rowers. Based on this training program and the number of people expected to utilize the gym, exercise equipment was ordered that implemented the program. Finishing touches to the facility are expected to be completed within the next month in time for the winter season.

     A new patio was constructed next to the gym with plenty of benches for tired folk to sit down and names in the bricks representing various donors. The new strength training facility was made possible by the generous donations of material and labor by the Breslins, Turner Construction Company, their contractors, and members of the community. Burnt Hills Crew expressed their appreciation by christening a new rowing shell “The Spirit of Henry C. Turner” in memory of the founder of Turner Construction who considered community service to be paramount.