Welland preferred site for Canada's dragon boat championships
By Greg Furminger, The Tribune
It may be blanket in snow now, but things are definitely heating up for Welland International Flatwater Centre. (GREG FURMINGER/Tribune Staff)
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It’s a deal that will mean millions of dollars for Welland’s economy over the next several years.
Dragon Boat Canada has agreed to make the Rose City host of its national championships five of the next six years, with an option to renew a collaborative agreement for use of Welland International Flatwater Centre facilities for an additional five of six years.
The collective five-year commitment, let alone 10-year deal, will translate to millions of dollars for local hoteliers, restaurateurs and retailers.
“To host something that big, that long, it’s a huge impact,” Welland Recreational Canal Corp. executive director Stephen Fischer said Friday.
This is the first year of the agreement, with the 2015 championships to be held June 26 to 28.
The three-day event annually attracts nearly 2,000 athletes ages youth to 80s, plus crews from across the country.
“They’ll fill every hotel room they can and revery residence at the college,” said an enthusiastic Fischer.
Chloe Greenhalgh, executive director of Dragon Boat Canada, was not immediately reachable for comment Friday.
But in a news release issued Thursday, she said her organization is “looking forward to our continued working partnership with the Welland Recreational Canal Corp. and we only expect the Canadian Dragon Boat Championships to flourish in years to come.”
“The Welland International Flatwater Centre is a great asset to the dragon boat community and Dragon Boat Canada is excited to call the Welland International Flatwater Centre home for upcoming championships.”
According to Dragon Boat Canada, there are 85,000 dragon boaters coast to coast.
That figure includes those “with quite a few medals around their necks” at South Niagara Canoe Club, based on Welland’s recreational waterway north of Thorold Rd., which Fischer said has a “robust dragon boat program.”
Fischer said the repeat-engagement deal with Dragon Boat Canada speaks volumes to the quality of Welland’s facilities, which include an indoor training tank at the flatwater centre.
Collaborative efforts of Dragon Boat Canada and WIFC will be focused on continuing to grow the championships, expand vendor opportunities and showcase the sport and Welland.
Welland hosted the Canadian championships last year and in 2011.
Last fall it was announced a $123,800 Ontario Trillium Foundation grant will be used to buy nine dragon boats, a mix of 20- and 10-person boats, toward an end goal to buy 30 boats for the flatwater centre in partnership with Dragon Boat Canada and South Niagara Canoe Club. The first boats will be available for the national championships this year.
Also this year is Dragon Boat 2015 — the International Dragon Boat Federation 12th World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, expected to draw a combined 5,000 participants, Aug. 18 to 23.
It has been estimated that since 2013 and to the end of this year, the $10-million flatwater centre will have generated $60 million in economic impact, not including the Pan Am Games. The flatwater centre is one of the Games’ legacies for Welland.
In 2018 the venue will play host to the World Canoe Polo World Championships.
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