The ZLAC Rowing Club is celebrating the completion of the phase one renovation of its grounds and entryway with a garden reveal party 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 10 in its clubhouse at 1111 Pacific Beach Drive.
The event is open to everyone for a $20 fee that includes lunch and drinks.
Billed as the oldest women’s rowing club in the world, ZLAC is the initials of the four San Diego women – Zulette Lamb, Lena Polhamus, Agnes Polhamus and Caroline Polhamus – who founded the club in 1892. The women’s rowing club, which operated initially with wooden barges from a boathouse on Market Street on San Diego Bay, was moved to its current clubhouse built by architect Lilian Rice in 1932.
Current ZLAC president Karen Volz Bachofer noted the club was formed during a time when “women were not allowed to row because they were girls. So they founded their own rowing club.” ZLAC has since grown to 460 members, with more than 100 active.
“We’ve added a brand new boathouse next to the clubhouse,” said Volz Bachofer. “We’ve been working on revamping and updating our grounds and the entryway onto the patio, fixing cracked pavement and replacing dying plant materials.”
The club president said improvements have also included a garden renovation, as well as an upgrade to exterior facilities.
Rowing as a sport is one of the world’s oldest traditions. Beginning as a method of transport and warfare, rowing became a sport with a global following. It is a part of the cultural identity of the English-speaking world. In its modern form, rowing was developed in England in the 1700s. Today it is both an amateur sport and an Olympic event.
Rowing can be done by one person (sculling), or up to as many as eight people per boat.
“Once you get started, you can’t stop,” said Volz Bachofer, who can’t get it out of her system at age 70. “It’s good for your health. Good for fitness. Good for camaraderie.”
Volz Bachofer rows with three other women on a weekly basis. “We hold each other accountable,” she said, noting ZLAC has independent rowers as well as adult and junior competitive teams. “Our rowers head out to the Charles River in Boston, the holy grail of rowing,” she added.
Volz Bachofer said all of the improvements to ZLAC’s clubhouse are anticipated to be done in about 10 months. She said their plans include “replacing the landscaping on the perimeter of the club and putting in all-new fencing and gates as well as new signage.” 
ZLAC’s president said the club would like to do more outreach into the community.
“We’ve been in Pacific Beach for a long long time, but I think a lot of people still don’t know about us,” Volz Bachofer said. “We want to be a good neighbor in Pacific Beach.” Celebration
1111 Pacific Beach Drive.
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 10. Info: For tickets and information, visit zlac.org.