What's new at Whitewater Ontario

Minutes of the Executive

At the recent teleconference attended by Steve Pomeroy, Jim Taylor, Claudia Van Wijk, James Smedley, Bill day, Carol Westwood and Peter Karwacki: September 26, 2007 at 19:30 hours

Finances
Finances are always a concern. The year, started with $25,000 cash on hand. Given the activity level: cash at year end is expected to be $15,000.

Minden attendance is up but cash raised from clinics is down.

AGM
The Date of the Annual General Meeting is set (AGM) for November 3rd, at 0900 AM. It will be in Peterborough, Ontario at the Best Western Hotel.

Travel
Travel to recreational center planning conference by Gary George is approved: His registration will be paid by WO as the benefits for Minden are obvious. Sponsorship amount approved is $350. USD.

Quest for Gold Athelete Carding
The criteria for the awarding of cards is approved and displayed on the Whitewater Ontario Website: www.whitewaterontario.ca
The members of the executive approved the criteria and process as developed by Doug Corkery of the ORR.

WO receives 4 cards which will be split between 8 paddlers. About $5000 is the financial value of the card award.

Canoe Ontario Report

CO will also have its AGM in Peterborough on November 3rd, 2008

Gullfest 2008
The date of Gullfest in 2008 was set for July 12/13 2008
The Andrew Westlake Slalom will be held June 28, 29, 2008.

VP of communications will start work on the 2008 event book.

Regional Items:

Bill Day is requesting paddling clinic assistance for the 2008 year. Thunder Bay has the largest collection of cadet paddlers in Ontario.

President's Report

The Judicial Review of the Environmental Assessment of the Kipawa Rivr Dam Refurbishment will be heard in Ottawa on October 23rd at 09:30 hours.

Whitewater Ontario has joined the Ontario Environmental Network and is now a stakeholder of record on water issues. WO successfully added the recreational value of whitewater to the water agenda.

Whitewater Ontario has applied for grant funds from Mountain Equipment coop (MEC) for the faciliatation of the Minden MWWP preserve Marketing and Management Study recommendations for self sustainability.

The father of Donna Boadway passed recently. As administrative contact, the members expressed their sympathy. A card was sent.

Whitewater Ontario is a member of the American Whitewater Association. As a result any member of Whitewater Ontario is eligible for a discounted AWA membership.

Lower Madawaska Take Out
Here is a message from the good folks at MKC concerning fundraising to upgrade the Lower madawaska takeout

River Awareness:
The Lower Madawaska River Take-Out Needs Your Help!

The Lower Madawaska River between Aumond Bay and Griffith is classified as a non-operating waterway provincial park in the Ontario Parks system; thus, does not receive any funding for up keep and maintenance. It is up to us users, the paddlers of the area, who benefit from this remote wilderness area section to ensure that it remains so.

For the past 20 years, both Boundless Adventures and Madawaska Kanu Centre staff have maintained these areas as best they could. Now we are focusing on raising funds for an upgrade on the Buck Bay take-out road.
Eight years ago we raised funds that were matched by the MNR to fix up the put-in road at Aumonds Bay. It is now time to do the same for the take-out road at Buck Bay.

In the past MNR has matched all donations, we are hoping that this will be the case for the Lower Mad Project. If we raise $5,000 and it is matched by the MNR the total would be $10,000- which is the amount needed to fix the road. Boundless Adventures and MKC have each pledged $1000 (and are only a fraction of the users). To raise the remaining funds we are asking the paddling community who paddle this fantastic Ontario whitewater gem to donate $30 each to this cause.

Please help by spreading the word and donating to this cause.

MKC is collecting funds on behalf of the project. Please send you donation to:

MKC- Lower Mad Project
39 First Ave
Ottawa, ON
K1S 2G1

paddle@owl-mkc.ca 613 594 5268


see

http://www.boatwerks.net/whitewater/running.php?news_id=16&start=0&category_id=&parent_id=&arcyear=&arcmonth=