Rowing is not a sport for ordinary kids but it should be, say a Canberra couple who have stumped up $10 million to get more public school kids on the water.
They've built a state-of-the art boathouse on the western bank of Black Mountain Peninsula.
It's an elegant new building now holding 50 new boats - ready to move out onto the icy waters of Lake Burley Griffin, ideally rowed by youngsters who would not not normally imagine the sport might be for them.
"Our mission here is to put 1000 public school kids through rowing," John Gasson said.
He made his money in construction but his passion for rowing came at Telopea High School. He rowed then off the Kingston Foreshore before it was redeveloped.
And it's on the water there he met his wife, Jeanette.
"Generally, rowing is only offered in the private schools sector," she said.
"If you look at even the Olympic team this year, most of them are from private schools. We just feel it's a lost opportunity."
Mr Gasson added: "Typically, rowing is not available to the general population and we've got a passion for doing that. My background is from a public school, and I just feel so lucky to have had this opportunity to be able to have the resources to build this incredible facility."
The new venue and its facilities are not-for-profit - they don't own it. The idea is to make it sustainable financially so a cafe area has been let to a local company, and the cafe will be open to non-rowers who walk in. The building will also be available for functions like weddings. There is a sauna and a gym and meeting rooms.
"Every time you spend a dollar at the Red Shed, it's going back to the community," Mr Gasson said.
But rowing is the core.
The new building will be partly used by the Black Mountain Rowing Club and partly by what Mr Gasson called the Red Shed program.
The program remit is to "engage individuals from diverse backgrounds and abilities, encouraging inclusivity and fostering a sense of belonging among its members".
To do that, subsidised fitness training, coaching and rowing will be offered to raw beginners and more experienced young rowers.
It's not meant to be a high-pressure program to pump out world-class athletes - though the Gassons say it would be nice if eight of their graduates (as they call the people who take to rowing on the Red Shed project) get to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
But pleasure is the purpose.
They point out that being in a boat, wielding an oar on Lake Burley Griffin, leaves no time - or hands - for a mobile phone.
"Also, it's the ultimate team sport," Mrs Gasson said.
"If you don't show up for your eight, the eight can't go rowing. Also, there's no stars in rowing, unlike a football team where you might have the try-scorer or the goal-kicker. In rowing, it's all about working together as one.
"A lot of Canberrans have never actually seen Canberra from the middle of the lake and that's a great experience."
