Rowing for All
In 2024, over 39 clubs nationwide will be delivering Community Sport for All Initiative (CSAI) programs. These community-level programs include organized sport activities that are offered at minimal to no cost to participants. They are specifically designed to be inclusive of equity-deserving groups, while remaining open to all.
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Burnaby Lake Rowing Club
Burnaby Lake Rowing Club will continue to offer Come and Try Days, as well as Learn to Row programs for newcomers to Canada, BIPOC individuals, girls and women, and persons with disabilities on the calm water of Burnaby Lake until September 2024. Upon completion of the program, participants will be equipped with the necessary rowing skills to continue rowing and join either the adult or junior program at BLRC, if they choose. These programs will be offered primarily in English, with multilingual facilitators who speak French, Spanish, Korean, Ukrainian, and Russian, among other languages.
If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about the equity-deserving programs that we offer, please contact us at outreach@burnabylakerowing.ca
CONTACT BURNABY LAKE ROWING CLUBFalse Creek Rowing Club
False Creek Rowing Club will be partnering with the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) this upcoming summer season. This partnership will provide both a 3-week introduction program and 6-week continuation program to participants of the CAN organization. The registration for the introduction program will be facilitated by the CAN organization while the continuation program will be open to all participants who have completed an introduction program in this past season and previous seasons. Registration for the continuation program will be done through the False Creek Rowing registration system. All sessions will be supported by CAN staff who are specialized and experienced in working with youth and adults with autism. Interested participants can contact operations@falsecreekrowingclub.ca. Program will be offered in English.
CONTACT FALSE CREEK ROWING CLUBGorge Narrows Rowing Club
Offering a supportive and flexible female-only environment to encourage participation in rowing, especially those who have had limited athletic opportunities due to cultural/religious norms, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, income, or newcomer status. Introduce basic rowing technique, teamwork, water safety, and boat handling. Build participants’ confidence and comfort with rowing, and sport participation in general. No experience required for participants or mentors. As boats sometimes capsize, a level of comfort being submerged in ocean water is necessary, but you don’t need to be able to swim. PFDs are available.
Participants: Female-identifying teens, age 14 – 18
Mentors: If you are interested in participating as an 18+ mentor for this program please contact clubmanager@gorgerowing.ca for more information.
We can help participants make rowing-appropriate modesty or cultural/religious adaptations to what you wear in the boat.
Program Cost, Dates, Structure: FREE for the first 40 participants, whose costs will be covered by a generous grant from Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA), as part of the Canadian Government’s Community Sport for All Initiative.
Sessions are Once/week on Saturdays, 11am – 1pm. April 20 thru Saturday Aug 17
Attendance is on a flexible drop-in basis. Come to as many or as few sessions as you want. Start anytime during the program.
CONTACT GORGE NARROWS ROWING CLUBMaple Bay Rowing Club
Maple Bay Rowing Club wants to continue to foster the love of rowing through equity, diversity and inclusion focused initiatives. In collaboration with Pride Cowichan Society, Cowichan Intercultural Society, and PacificSport Vancouver Island MBRC is reaching out to the Cowichan Valley to invite Newcomers to Canada, 2SLGBTQQIA+ participants and persons with a disability to offer free opportunities to get on the water and experience rowing. The club will be hosting one-day come try rowing days, weekly Learn-to-Row sessions, Youth Summer Camps and a Pride-On-Water Parade to celebrate our upcoming programming. Please contact the club for further information. Programming will be delivered in English (translational supports for our newcomers’ groups).
CONTACT MAPLE BAY ROWING CLUBNanaimo Rowing Club
Nanaimo Rowing Club is partnering with three community groups to provide opportunities to learn the basics of rowing, including an exposure to on-land training, water safety, boat handling and on-water rowing. Working with School District #68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) and PacificSport Vancouver Island we will be offering an 8-week program for high school students identifying as female. We will also be partnering with the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society to offer introduction to rowing sessions and week-long summer camps to youth and young adults new to Canada. We will also be continuing our partnership with the Canucks Autism Network to offer mini Learn to Row programs (three 2-hour sessions offered once per week) as well as supported rowing for their clients upon completion of the lessons.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club: nanaimo.rowing@gmail.com
CONTACT NANAIMO ROWING CLUBOARCA Coastal Rowing
OARCA Coastal Rowing is partnering with several groups in the Victoria area this spring and summer to provide rowing opportunities in coastal boats. With their increased stability coastal rowboats are great for use on the ocean and for those with no rowing experience. We are offering several Come Try Rowing and Family Picnic Come Try Rowing Events – for women and girls (St. Margaret’s School, Pinnacle Fitness, and The Aquanuts ocean swimming), newcomers to Canada through partnership with the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria, the Indian Community through partnership with Apna Virsa Victoria Cultural Association, and a beach sprints league for low-income students and youth. Programming is being offered June through August at low to no cost to participants and will be offered at one of two sites in the Victoria area.
For more information contact OARCA at oarca.programs@gmail.com.
CONTACT OARCA COASTAL ROWINGSalt Spring Island Rowing Club
Salt Spring Island Rowing Club will use the Community Sport for All grant funds to run a Learn to Row program for neuro diverse youth. With a 1:3 coach to participant ratio, our head coach will be able to specifically tailor instruction to individual participant’s needs. An important part of the program will be working with the participants develop strategies so that they can be comfortable and successful moving on to rowing with larger groups of rowers.
CONTACT SALT SPRING ISLAND ROWING CLUBThe Shuswap Rowing and Paddling Club
The Shuswap Rowing and Paddling Club is continuing a program initiated in 2023 to bring the sport of rowing to high school youth with cognitive and physical disabilities. Athletes can join the program at the school, and the teacher and education assistants are also included. The program will include 2-3 dry land sessions at the gym to practice the body movements on a rowing machine and will then progress to on-water sessions using 2 coxed touring quads. We are planning a barbecue party at the lake for the end of the school year. The athletes who are interested in continuing with rowing will have opportunities when school resumes in September.
CONTACT THE SHUSWAP ROWING AND PADDLING CLUB
Victoria City Rowing Club
Victoria City Rowing Club provides a flexible and supportive environment for people of all cultures, religious norms, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, income, newcomer status and impairment. The learn to row program covers basic rowing techniques, teamwork, water safety, and boat handling, fostering participants’ confidence and overall sports engagement and will be presented in English.
In collaboration with the Maritime Pacific Defence Indigenous Advisory Group (MARPAC DIAG), Victoria City Rowing Club (VCRC) will offer indigenous members of the Defence Community a learn to row program of 6 sessions (Tuesday and Thursday, 18:30-20:30) for 3 weeks starting 4 June 2024. The program will include both land-based and on-water components, given in a safe, enjoyable, and physically beneficial way. Its delivery will be in both official languages. Any interested members can contact Maj (ret’d) Patrick Levis at patricklevis@hotmail.com. Registration ends 15 May 2024.
For more information about the club’s program, please view their website: https://www.vcrc.bc.ca/
CONTACT VICTORIA CITY ROWING CLUB
Vernon Rowing and Dragon Boat Club
Vernon Rowing and Dragon Boat Club (VRDBC) will be delivering Come Try days and Free Learn to Row lessons in partnership with School District 22 and the Vernon and District Immigrant and Community Services Society. The project targets the Enhanced Inclusion of women and girls, newcomers to Canada and those with a low income. The events will be held at VRDBC, community centres or at partnering organizations and will be delivered in English.
CONTACT VERNON ROWING AND DRAGON BOAT CLUB
SASKATCHEWAN
Prince Albert Drifters Rowing Club
Prince Albert Rowing Club is hosting a Youth Indoor Rowing program with St. John and St Michaels Community Schools.
This program will start in June and include our Indoor Rowing School for Newcomer and Indigenous youth. The program will include 40-minute sessions on the Indoor rowers for youth from the ages of 10 years old to 14 years old. We hope to see more than 160 youth over a two-day period. We travel to the schools with our Indoor Rowing school trailer which includes 10 indoor rowers. The students and teachers assist with set up and then programming begins. This program is not open to the public, but we hope to advertise to the families for all of the FREE summer programming. Each session is a review of basic technique of rowing, practicing some fun warm up drills, and then working in teams of 4 compete in a fun 2000 metre relay.
The club will be hosting the Come and Try Rowing events open to all Newcomer Canadians and Indigenous community members the first week of July. Sessions will be approximately 60 minutes in length with opportunity for those who wish to repeat sessions able to do so. Sessions will include on land intro to the boats and equipment, safety review and then on water rowing. This program is designed to expose as many people as possible to the sport and if interested register for the twice weekly regular summer programming in Prince Albert. In addition to the on-land aspect, we will also have rowing machines set up, so that families with youth who might be too small to get on water, can still try the rowers. We will have some snacks and fun games available for the children.
Learn-to-Row will be the next phase for our Come and Try participants to enjoy a little more on water experience. The sessions will be 2.5 hours in length and open to adults and youth over the age of 11. Friday 5-8pm, Saturday & Sunday 9-11:30am, 1pm-3:30pm. Participants will register through the RCA web registration system [https://membership.rowingcanada.org/JoinProgram]. We would like to see registrants attend two or more of the sessions but are happy to adapt as needed for participants. Each session can host 8 rowers at a time.
Both programs are completely free to participants and include transportation reimbursement to the club, snacks, T-shirts and translators where available.
CONTACT PRICE ALBERT ROWING CLUB
Regina Rowing Club
Regina Rowing Club will be offering a six-week Learn to Row program to help reduce barriers to participation and involvement in sport within the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community. RRC will be partnering with Queen City Pride organization to offer this program to foster participation and involvement in the sport of rowing. This program will be delivered in English within a safe and inclusive environment. Program is tentatively scheduled for May (subject to change due to weather).
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
Contact: info@reginarowing.ca
Website: www.reginarowing.com
Address: 3000 Wascana Drive
CONTACT REGINA ROWING CLUBSaskatoon Rowing Club
The Saskatoon Rowing Club in partnership with the Girl Guides Saskatoon, is offering a four-week program to girls between the ages of 12 and 18 called Row Like a Girl. This program is an introductory course designed to teach girls the basics of rowing in a fun, safe, and welcoming learn-to-row environment. We have 4 weeks of once-a-week programming, running on Mondays from 6-7:30pm June 3, 10,17, and 24th. All coaches and support staff for this program are female. We are providing snacks, t-shirts, covering insurance and registration fees. In addition, we are offering 12 free registrations to our Junior Development Summer program to any of the participants who may wish to continue rowing through the summer.
The Saskatoon Rowing Club will also be running programming in collaboration with OUT Saskatoon. This is a sixteen-session program that runs over 8 weeks July 8-24 Mon/Wed, July 30-Aug 29 Tues/Thurs. This program is open to all members of the LGBTQ+ community. For the first 4 weeks, participants will be focusing on getting the basics down on the erg, then moving on to the water in June, the first 2 weeks will be formatted like an LTR, and by the end of the 8 weeks, we are planning on having them be rowing in and with the programs they fit into. The youth/junior programming will run from 4-5:45pm, and the adult program will run from 6-7:30pm. The goal is to have them all having fun, learning about rowing, and feeling happy and successful. We also would like to work with them to create a more inclusive environment at the SRC, surrounding what language to use, and how to make our media posts inclusive.
In addition, we are offering 12 free registrations to our Novice Summer programs to any of the participants who may wish to continue rowing through the summer.
The Saskatoon Rowing Club is working with Saskatoon Deaf and Hard of Hearing, offering LTR programming for anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing. This program will include interpreters for every practice and loads of volunteer support getting out on the water. Sessions run Saturdays at 10am on May 11,18, and 15th, as well as June 1,8,15, 22, and 29. They will have 2 certified coaches for indoor training and 3 for on the water, we will have coaches bowing boats with the athletes as well as a coach in the coach boat. This is intended to be a fun and exciting experience for all participants as well as a great learning experience for all the coaches at the SRC.
For more information or to register contact the Saskatoon Rowing Club at saskatoonrowingclub@gmail.com“
CONTACT SASKATOON ROWING CLUB
ONTARIO
Argonaut Rowing Club
The Argonaut Rowing Club will use funding from the Community Sport for All Initiative to introduce to the sport of rowing, 30 youth from equity-deserving populations (racialized and low-income) in its Parkdale and other Toronto neighbourhoods and provide them a clear pathway to continue in the sport. Participants will begin with introductory tours and ergometer sessions, then on-water learn-to-row and learn-to-train, including an introduction to racing in regattas and then continuing training throughout the winter months. Programming will be offered in English.
For more information about this program, please contact coach@argonautrowingclub.com
CONTACT ARGONAUT ROWING CLUB
Barrie Rowing Club
Barrie Rowing Club is dedicated to enhancing the well-being of local newcomers to the Barrie area by introducing rowing programs designed to promote physical activity, build confidence, and cultivate a sense of belonging within the community. The club is excited to extend our outreach to newcomers by offering programs consisting of Learn to Row sessions (16 years+), Youth Rowing Program (12-16 years) and Come Try Rowing sessions (12 years+). These programs provide an opportunity to learn the basics of rowing including an exposure to on-land training and on-water rowing. The club provides coaching, boats, equipment and personal safety gear. Additionally, to foster a sense of belonging in the sport of rowing, folks are welcome to join club social events. Programming is delivered in the English language. Further information about these programs can be found on the Barrie Rowing Club’s website. Sign up and join us on the waters of beautiful Kempenfelt Bay!
For more information about the club’s program, please contact: https://barrierowing.org/.
CONTACT BARRY ROWING CLUB
Cambridge Rowing Club
Cambridge Rowing Club, in partnership with St. Benedict Catholic High School will introduce participants from equity-deserving populations (BIPOC participants, 2SLGBTQQlA participants, people with a disability, and girls/women) to the sport of rowing and provide a pathway to meaningful engagement within the sport. Participants will start with an erg program at the high school and then transition to an on-water Learn to Row program. Participants will be encouraged to continue as a youth athlete throughout the summer and fall months with programming offered in English. For more information about the club’s program, please contact: https://www.cambridgerowingclub.on.ca/.
CONTACT CAMBRIDGE ROWING CLUBThe Georgian Bay Rowing Club
The Georgian Bay Rowing Club (GBRC) is offering to intellectually disabled participants this summer an introduction to the sport of rowing in a safe, supportive setting. Instruction by certified coaches will provide dry land training in rowing basics and progress to an on-water rowing experience. Enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence for the 10 participants are primary goals of the program. This grant is intended to stimulate ongoing interest for rowing in the Midland region in future years. For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club at: georgianbayrowingclub@gmail.com
CONTACT GEORGIAN BAY ROWING CLUBHanlan Boat Club
Hanlan Boat Club will launch a free, four-week, after-school rowing program called “”Row Toronto,”” which will bring low-income youth, ages 12-17, to the Hanlan boathouse for rowing lessons on Lake Ontario in June 2024. During the eight-session program, which will be delivered in English, youth will learn the basics of the rowing stroke, the parts of a boat, and proper boat handling skills in a safe, fun and inclusive environment.
In addition, participants will be taught how to eat well for sports performance and techniques for balancing the demands of being a student-athlete. All transportation, rowing equipment, safety gear, and snacks will be provided, as will information about scholarships for Hanan’s junior rowing program and summer camp, should participants enjoy the program and wish to continue rowing at the Club.
For more information about the Row Toronto program, please contact Janet Bolton at president@hanlanboatclub.ca or visit: [www.hanlanboatclub.ca]
CONTACT HANLAN BOAT CLUB
Island Lake Rowing Club
Island Lake Rowing Club (ILRC) has partnered with the Pine River Institute (PRI) to offer Learn to Row sessions for 8 low-income youth enrolled in PRI as one of their extra-curricular sports and leadership development options. PRI is a not-for-profit residential addictions and mental health centre for youth. Youth attend 8 LTR sessions including on-land training and on-water rowing instruction. Rowing will be promoted as a healthy activity which supports life-long physical and mental wellness, team-building, leadership and communication skills. This program will be offered in English. For more information about this and other rowing programs, contact Island Lake Rowing Club info@islandlakerowing.com.
CONTACT ISLAND LAKE ROWING CLUB
Kingston Rowing Club
The Kingston Rowing Club is excited to partner with local middle schools and high schools to introduce students to the sport of rowing. Located near several lower-income neighborhoods, the club will be actively engaging with schools to offer introductory sessions on rowing using ergometers for low-income participants. These sessions will serve as a springboard for our ‘try rowing’ days, where we aim to expand participation in rowing, create pathways into our programming, and provide opportunities for students who may not otherwise have access to the sport to join our community.
CONTACT KINGSTON ROWING CLUB
The LaSalle Rowing Club
The LaSalle Rowing Club, in partnership with We Build a Dream will be offering a Come Try Rowing Day, to reduce barriers for girls and women and help influence their involvement in sport. Following the Come Try Rowing Day, up to 16 memberships will be given to “We Build a Dream” candidates to continue rowing throughout the 2024-25 season. The Lasalle Rowing Club not only teaches the essentials of rowing techniques but also nurtures confidence and impart the values of teamwork, responsibility and perseverance. For more information, please contact lasallerowingclub1@gmail.com
CONTACT LASALLE ROWING CLUBLeander Boat Club
Leander Boat Club is excited to launch a free program focused on providing equitable access to rowing, particularly for BIPOC communities. Our collaboration with Colour the Trails, a Black-owned business promoting inclusivity in outdoor activities, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters Hamilton will introduce newcomers to rowing.
In June, join us for a free try rowing day to discover the sport. Funding is available for those interested in continuing with recreational programs. In August, our year-end event will bring participants back for rowing, dinner, and more. his program is open to both youth and adults, aiming to foster inclusivity and empowerment in rowing.
CONTACT LEANDER ROWING CLUB
London Western Rowing Club
London Western Rowing Club, in partnership with Stem2Stern, Special Olympics Ontario, and Western University are hosting two exciting events at our Fanshawe Lake facility with the goal of providing access to rowing and outdoor recreation to underserved and underrepresented members of the London community.
On June 13, an estimated 700 students from across the Thames Valley will be introduced to rowing in boats they built at their schools under the mentorship provided by the Stem2Stern organization. For many of these students this will be their first exposure to water sports or water based recreational activities.
On June 23 we are hosting a Special Olympics day where approximately 20-25 youth with disabilities will be able to try rowing. These young athletes are part of an Alpine Skiing team, and this experience offers an opportunity to participate in a summer sport.
In addition to these activities, the support provided through the Canada Sport for All Initiative will enable the London Western Rowing Club to enhance its programming directed at women and girls in our community, increasing opportunities to access sport and outdoor recreation through our club.
CONTACT LONDON WESTERN ROWING CLUB
Orillia Rowing Club
Introduction to Indoor Rowing for Girls will be offered to elementary schools in Orillia during May and June 2024. Students will be coached on the basics of indoor rowing using Concept2 row erg machines. Afterwards, interested students will be invited to attend a free on-water Try It Rowing session at the Orillia Rowing Club. From there, students have the option to sign up for Summer Camp or a Learn-to-Row weekend with the Orillia Rowing Club. The sessions are conducted in English. In partnership with several elementary schools in Orillia, 20 students aged at least 11 will have the opportunity to attend a one-week summer camp for low-income students that they may otherwise not be able to afford. These students will be coached and instructed on the basics of rowing on the water. This will help students develop positive habits to support mental health and well-being as well as physical activity with the sport of rowing. The summer camp is conducted in English.
CONTACT ORILLIA ROWING CLUB
Ottawa New Edinburgh Club
Building on the great success of previous years, the Ottawa New Edinburgh Club (ONEC) will once again partner with the Ottawa Senior Pride Network, to bring rowing to the 2SLGBTQQIA+ senior (50+) community for free. This year though, the programming will be based from the beautifully restored National Capital Commission (NCC) Riverhouse. The season will kick off at the June Come Try It days. Full Learn to Row programs and season memberships will also be offered to a limited number of the enthusiastic 2SLGBTQQIA+ rowers from previous years so that they can build on their Intro to Rowing sessions.
Using this same model, ONEC has partnered with the Rideau Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre, a centre geographically close but separated by many unseen barriers, including lack of financial resources, perceptions of rowing as being an elitist sport, etc. In this new series targeted at New Canadians, two free sessions will be offered. With the dryland Intro to Rowing session, New Canadians will first learn about rowing safety, the equipment and the stroke using ergs, followed by a second session on the water in coxed quads. All sessions will be provided in Canada’s two official languages by Safe Sport trained coaches.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the Ottawa New Edinburgh Club (ONEC) at onec.ca.
CONTACT OTTAWA NEW EDINBURGH CLUB
Ottawa Rowing Club
Ottawa Rowing Club focuses on providing youth, especially those from non-traditional, BIPOC, New Canadian and other underserved communities, with access to rowing-based programming. By offering free or low-cost opportunities, ERO aims to introduce rowing to a diverse group of young individuals, leveraging the sport as a means to foster personal growth, development, and life skills. Through partnerships with local organizations, ERO seeks to reach out to underprivileged youth in the Ottawa area, offering them a safe space to learn, play, grow, and face challenges.
ERO’s programming spans various formats, including one-day introductory sessions on land and water, as well as ongoing rowing opportunities for groups interested in developing their skills further. Supported by the Ottawa Rowing Club’s existing infrastructure which provides instructors, equipment, and other necessary resources, ERO is committed to teaching values such as accountability, respect, teamwork, and the importance of hard work. The program has already collaborated with several local organizations, such as the Lower Town Community Centre and the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa and is dedicated to changing lives one rower at a time, ensuring that every participant has the chance to excel both as an athlete and an individual.
CONTACT OTTAWA ROWING CLUB
Peterborough Rowing Club
In 2024 Peterborough Rowing Club will offer a wide array of targeted programing this spring and summer. In partnership with the TRACKS (Trent Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge and Science) summer program, the Club will provide introduction sessions for indigenous participants with an opportunity for individuals to further their rowing experience through structured Learn to Row sessions. Working with the Peterborough New Canadians Centre, the PRC will provide newcomers to Canada dryland and on-the-water introductions to rowing with an opportunity for participants to further their rowing experience through targeted Learn to Row sessions.
Through promotional outreach to the community, the PRC will seek to offer introduction and Learn to Row sessions to people with disabilities of all ages. Features of our club include hard surfaces in our boat bays, an accessible washroom, and upgrades to our docks to allow for a more accessible friendly rowing experience. Beginner shells and experienced coaching staff also offer safety and support to every participant.
All programming will be offered in English or French on request.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact: peterborough.rowing.club@gmail.com
CONTACT PETERBOROUGH ROWING CLUB
St. Catharines Rowing Club
St. Catharines Rowing Club is opening our boathouse and waterways to several different community groups in an effort to introduce our sport to a wider population in our community. We will be hosting ‘Come Try Rowing’ Days, Saturdays through the months of May, June, and first week of July. We are reaching out directly to several agencies who support and represent the diverse population that the Niagara Region enjoys, but Interested individuals are welcome to connect with us and come to the island to try rowing!
Participants will discover a bit of history of rowing in St. Catharines and the famed Henley Island international racecourse, will learn about and be able to handle the equipment, as well as experience the rowing stroke on an ergometer and through dockside rowing. If weather is favourable, we will push off the dock to take some strokes!
Participants can receive instruction in both English and French, and translation services for other languages are available on short notice.
CONTACT ST. CATHARINES ROWING CLUB
Sudbury Rowing Club
Between April and August, the Sudbury Rowing Club will be offering subsidized Introduction to Rowing and Learn to Row programming for women and girls. Programs will be offer in collaboration with the Sudbury Women’s Centre, Monarch Recovery Services, and the public secondary schools in Sudbury. Programming will be offered in English. For more information contact rowsudbury@gmail.com
CONTACT SUDBURY ROWING CLUB
The Thunder Bay Rowing Club
The Thunder Bay Rowing Club (TBRC) is excited to offer a series of free “Try It” days for youth ages 12 – 18 from a few specific communities to reach people who may have had limited opportunities to try the sport of rowing. The sessions will be run by a roster of dynamic TBRC coaches/volunteers (including similar aged TBRC rowers) and will start with a brief discussion of the benefits of rowing for both mental health and physical health, especially as a team sport where a crew must move and work in unison. This will be followed by rowing ergometer instruction on-land, and on-water rowing technique introduction in various crew sizes. A free nutrition break will be provided to the participants. It will be an opportunity for these youth to meet others in a fun way and in a beautiful setting, on the waters of the Kaministiquia River.
The first “Try It” day will be run for young women. Through a collaboration with Superior North Volleyball Club, TBRC will provide an opportunity for athletes on the SNVC competitive and development teams to try out the sport of rowing with their teammates in a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment. The session will be run by an all-female roster of coaches/volunteers.
The second “Try It” day will be run for newcomers to Canada in association with the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association (TBMA) and the third “Try It” will be held in collaboration with the Regional Multicultural Youth Council’s Indigenous programs (RMYC) to provide an opportunity focused on Indigenous youth.
After the completion of the sessions, participants will be invited to register in TBRC’s Learn to Row program to build on the basics learned in the “Try It” session with the goal to welcome and recruit more youth from different under-represented groups into the rowing community and hopefully create long-lasting partnerships.
CONTACT THUNDER BAY ROWING CLUBToronto Sculling Club
Toronto Sculling Club, in partnership with the Scarborough Schoolboard (David and Mary Thomson High School, DMT), will introduce rowing programming to at-risk youth from low-income families this fall. Programming will introduce these young people to the sport of rowing and provide opportunities to be within a healthy team environment, engage in a new and fun fitness activity, and teach a skill which they will have not had the chance to learn otherwise. Students will be invited to join morning and/or afternoon sessions. Programming will offer nutrition support, clothing supports, and access to the Scarborough Pan Am Centre for swim lessons, alongside transportation. Programming will be delivered in English.
CONTACT TORONTO SCULLING CLUB
Winnipeg Rowing Club
Winnipeg Rowing Club is excited to partner with the Winnipeg Newcomer Sport Academy, Sport Programs for Inner City Neighborhoods (SPIN) and the South Winnipeg Community Centre to deliver progressive based rowing programs in July and August. As a first exposure, the program will deliver an introductory rowing camp, followed with options to continue rowing in an advanced camp with options to continue through the season in part of our junior or high-performance program. Camps are for ages 13-17 years of age. Organized bus transportation or transit tickets are available to our partner organizations.
CONTACT WINNIPEG ROWING CLUBQUEBEC
Aviron Knowlton
Aviron Knowlton (AKR) is offering a comprehensive program of school and Camp Rowing in 2024. Grades 5, 6 and Sec 1 of Knowlton Academy, Grade 6 of St Édouard and campers from the Town of Brome Lake’s Salamander Summer Camp will be offered a free Come and Try. This will total about 130 youth. Students can then participate in a free 15 hour Learn to Row Camp. Keen students will be offered a bursary to learn to row at a competitive level for the rest of the season. We target our local schools and the town summer camp because the student body includes the least economically advantaged families in our region which in turn is also the least advantaged rural region in Quebec. Participants will be signed up directly by the schools and the camp. This program is also supported by the Lions Club of Knowlton and the Town of Brome Lake.
CONTACT AVIRON KNOWLTON
Aviron Lachine Rowing
Rowing for me!
Learn-to-Row Program for People Living with a Visual Impairment – Aviron Lachine Rowing
In partnership with the Association sportive des aveugles du Québec (ASAQ), the Aviron Lachine Rowing Club is proud to offer an introductory rowing program for all people living with a visual impairment, while specifically targeting the youth sub category. The “Rowing for Me!” program will welcome you regardless of your fitness level!
The program has two components:
• An indoor component on rowers with 3 to 4 training sessions of 90 minutes from April to May 2024; and
• A water component on Alden-type boats and the eight with a coxswain (8+) with 6 training sessions of 2 hours from June to September 2024.
Participants can purchase any or these training sessions for a nominal fee, which includes transportation costs. The goal is to provide a safe and comprehensive introduction to the sport of rowing for people living with visual impairments in the greater Montreal area.
Participants could forge friendly ties with each other and with all the members of the Aviron Lachine Rowing Club. The program has both physical and social components, a winning combination to encourage discovery and adherence to the fabulous sport of rowing.
This program will be offered in French and English, depending on the needs of the participants.
For more information on the club’s programs, please contact the Director of the Aviron Lachine Rowing Club, Bruno Haché, at the address here: bruno.hache@avironlachine.ca and visit the Rowing Lachine website
CONTACT AVIRON LACHINE ROWING
Club Nautique Sherbrooke
Club Nautique Sherbrooke in collaboration with Bishops University is developing a female rowing program in Sherbrooke. The grant funds will be used to acquire necessary equipment, coaching, participation free of charge, and all other support. In addition, the objective is to expand the reach to more female participants at different community partners. We are grateful to receive this grant as it will help to raise awareness of the sport and open the possibility for future sport development.
CONTACT CLUB NAUTIQUE SHERBROOKE
Montreal Rowing Club
We’re pleased to add a third partner this year with Project10, an organization whose mission is to facilitate the empowerment of 2SLGBTQIA+ teens aged 14-17, and young adults aged 18-25, at individual, community, and institutional levels. We are also fortunate to offer the program to two groups we worked with last year, Hike Mtl and Milton-Parc Community Center. Hike Mtl aims to foster a sense of belonging through nature-based outdoor excursions to BIPOC communities, aiming to reduce economic and social barriers, by promoting a healthy lifestyle, both physical and mental. Milton-Parc offers a variety of activities for newcomers to Canada, enabling them to integrate into their communities through sport and recreation.
CONTACT MONTREAL ROWING CLUB
NEWFOUNDLAND
Labrador West Rowing Association
Labrador West Rowing Association in collaboration with Labrador Status of Women, Labrador West LGBTQ2S+, and Labrador West Association for New Canadians will be hosting various come try rowing events for participants throughout summer 2024. Participants will be invited to review the fundamentals of rowing safely and have an opportunity to hop into a boat and try the sport of rowing. Continuation of programming is available for those interested. Further information – contact Kelly O’Brien Kelly O’Brien kobrien_13@hotmail.com
CONTACT LABRADOR WEST ROWING ASSOCIATIONSt. John’s Rowing Club
The St. John’s Rowing Club (SJRC) is collaborating with the First Light Friendship Centre to provide Indigenous youth and adults with on-water rowing experiences through a sequence of Come & Try It events and Learn to Row programming this summer. SJRC and First Light Friendship Center continue to offer once-a-week indoor rowing. All programs aim to promote ongoing participation and fitness leadership. These sessions will be conducted in English.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club here: general@sjrc.ca
CONTACT ST. JOHN'S ROWING CLUB
NEW BRUNSWICK
Two Rivers Rowing Club
Two Rivers Rowing Club is proud to be the recipient of a Community Sport for All Initiative grant from Rowing Canada Aviron and to partner with New Brunswick African Association. Fredericton is defined by a beautiful river, and we would like to share that experience. We will launch a 10-week program with a panel on the “Importance of Diversity” in sport on Wednesday May 29, 2024, from 6 to 8pm followed by two evenings a week of indoor rowing for 10 to 20 new rowers then transition to water from June to August. There will be no cost to adult participants of all genders, and we are excited to meet our future Fredericton rowers and develop learn to row coaches to promote rowing among the NB African Association community province wide. When you are welcomed with open arms, it feels like you are home.
CONTACT TWO RIVERS ROWING CLUBPRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Rowing PEI
Crew 24 is a youth rowing program offered in collaboration with the Immigrant and Refugee Services Association PEI. This free program, conducted in English, is open to youth from the community. Participants will learn rowing techniques, stay fit, and engage in fun challenges during weekly sessions.
To find out more, please contact Margarita Alvarez Ramirez at Rowing PEI: rowingpei@gmail.com
Link: www.rowingpei.ca
Newcomers on Water (NOW) Program
The Newcomers on Water (NOW) program offers the opportunity for participants to try a new sport and see Prince Edward Island from the water. It’s part of what makes living on an island unique, the beautiful water views that are all around us.
NOW is being offered in collaboration with the Immigrant and Refugee Services Association PEI and will be conducted in English.
Participants don’t need any experience. We provide all the equipment and coaching, and it’s FREE!
We call it an amazing workout with amazing water views. To find out more, please contact Margarita Alvarez Ramirez at Rowing PEI: rowingpei@gmail.com
Charlottetown Dragon Boat Club and Rowing PEI Winter Program
Rowing PEI and the Charlottetown Dragon Boat Club partnered up to offer an Intro to Indoor Rowing session in November and December 2023. It was fun to see the rowers and dragon boaters training side by side, and then teaming up for relay racing!
The culmination of the program was the Ice Blaster Indoor Rowing Challenge in April 2024.
The two groups look forward to more partnerships in the future!
To find out more, please contact Margarita Alvarez Ramirez at Rowing PEI: rowingpei@gmail.com
Link: www.rowingpei.ca
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YELLOWKNIFE
The Somba K’e Paddling Club
The Somba K’e Paddling Club and the Northern Mosaic Network (NMN) are working in partnership to host a dedicated learn-to-row program during the 2024 summer season. The LTR program is open to NMN members and will allow 2SLGBTQIPA+ individuals based in Yellowknife access sport programming, specifically rowing. For interested participants, please get in touch with Lauren at sombakepaddling@gmail.com.
CONTACT SOMBA K'E PADDLING CLUB