▁I ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁shell ▁house ▁being ▁neglect ed ▁and ▁showing ▁signs ▁of ▁d eter ior ation . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁De pression ▁years , ▁P . D . ▁Ross , ▁former ▁editor ▁of ▁the ▁def unct ▁Ott awa ▁Journal , ▁was ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁club . ▁He ▁inf uri ated ▁his ▁rep or ters ▁by ▁pay ing ▁them ▁small ▁sal aries ▁while ▁open ly ▁sp ending ▁into ▁equipment ▁and ▁up keep ▁for ▁the ▁row ing ▁club . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁the ▁Ott awa ▁Row ing ▁Club ▁accepted ▁to ▁contribute ▁to ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁row ing ▁program ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Ott awa ▁by ▁offering ▁equipment ▁and ▁coach es . ▁However , ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁was ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁decl ine ▁for ▁the ▁Ott awa ▁Row ing ▁Club . ▁After ▁se izing ▁Club ▁due ▁to ▁financial ▁constraints , ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Ott awa ▁agreed ▁to ▁restore ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁the ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁shell ▁house ▁that ▁exists ▁today ▁but ▁decided ▁to ▁demol ish ▁the ▁other ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁poor ▁condition ▁( that ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁stored ▁boats ▁and ▁included ▁a ▁ball room ). ▁On ▁that ▁year , ▁there ▁were ▁only ▁nine ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Club ▁and ▁the ▁permanent ▁closure ▁of ▁the ▁club ▁was ▁being ▁deb ated . ▁ ▁Vol unte ers , ▁such ▁as ▁Peter ▁King , ▁supported ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁row ing ▁in ▁Ott awa ▁in