HISTORY

In 1971, Gordon Shrake, City of Calgary Alderman for Ward 5, and his wife Lee, took their Cub pack to the Glenmore Reservoir where the cubs were to be introduced to war canoes and other boats by members of the Calgary Canoe Club.  Assisting Gord and Lee that evening was Cec Nordvall who was later to become first president of the Bow Waters Canoe Club.  Helping with the demonstration was Herb Benthin, New Clubs and Expansion Director of the Canadian Canoe Association.  During the evening he mentioned to the cub leaders, and Cec, that there was a perfect place for a canoe club in their own area of Forest Lawn on the east bank of the Western Irrigation District canal. From that statement, a club was born.

The first official meeting held to form a new canoe club took place on August 23, 1972. Close to two-dozen persons attended. A full executive was elected including fifteen directors. The name Chestermere Canoe Club was chosen. Alderman Shrake was asked to be president but declined, saying he would be more valuable helping the Club obtaining grants. Cec Nordvall was elected president, Ralph Gottoliatt vice-president, Sharon Jones secretary and Ronnie Midgely treasurer. Ronnie was unable to fulfill his duties so Sid Exelby soon took over.  Rates were set at $1.00 for a single membership, $2.50 per family and $10.00 for a group, all per annum.

Work was begun almost immediately on obtaining a clubhouse. A meeting was held December 14, 1972 to discuss obtaining an unused City structure, 20' x 80', formerly used as a lunchroom for City workers.  It was located at 58th Avenue SE and Blackfoot Trail. The building was purchased from the City for the sum of $1.00.  A grant of $3,600 from the City came with the bargain (later increased to $5,000) to move it to the site along the irrigation canal originally recommended by Herb Benthin.

At the time of applying for the building and City grant, it was pointed out by Stan Frader, that the name Chestermere Canoe Club "...is a misnomer unless we are going to operate out of Chestermere Lake." He thought it should be changed before the application was submitted to Calgary City Council. The name East Calgary Canoe Club was then chosen.  Later, the Canadian Canoe Association requested it once again be changed because of confusion with the existing Calgary Canoe Club.  A contest was held and Betty Barker's entry "Bow Waters Canoe Club" was the winner.  That new name became official on July 1, 1974, on the occasion of the Club's official opening. When the Club initiated a newsletter, a contest to name it was held, and the winning banner, "The Voice of the River", was contributed by Wilf Cameron.  Wilf also created the Club logo.

In 1973, many community groups and businesses made donations to help the fledgling club get started. Government grants were also obtained. A kayak was built by members and raffled through a booth at a local community carnival.  Members took their canoes to the canal on weekends, offering rides to anyone who came.  A dock was built on the canal.  Occasionally, a few canoeists would paddle the Bow River through town or to Carseland but paddling in 1973 was mostly confined to the irrigation canal.

From the beginning, the new club was under the umbrella of the Canadian Canoe Association. In January 1974, the Club received an interest-free loan of $2,500 through the C.C.A. to purchase boats and equipment.  The final payment on the loan was made October 28, 1977 for the amount of $1,268.40. Most equipment acquired with the funds was for flat-water racing.

In the spring of 1974, Herb Benthin and many other Bow Waters members began teaching flatwater racing on the canal by the clubhouse.  Racers competed locally as well as at the Provincial Summer Games and the Canadian Summer Games.  Paddlers in all age groups competed for the Club into the early 1980s when interest in flat-water racing fell off.  Gradually, the focus changed to river touring.  In the mid-1980s, the Club dropped its membership in the Canadian Canoe Association. A firm foundation had been laid for the great canoe club that was to evolve and provide many outdoor activities, winter and summer, for hundreds of Calgarians.

Herb Benthin, Gordon Shrake, Cec and Lou Nordvall, Sid and Shirley Exelby, Jim and Betty Barker and Ralph Gottoliatt were the prime movers for the first two years of the Club's operation. Many others helped out but these nine members were primarily responsible for the Club's emergence and continued early growth.

Bow Waters Canoe Club was incorporated as a non-profit society under the Alberta Societies Act on December 16, 1975.

Current status

The members finished the new clubhouse in 1985, providing a modern hall and boat bay to support member activities.  In 1997 the club celebrated 25 years in existence.  A new club logo and BBQs for members marked this anniversary.  The club has continued to focus on recreational paddling and skiing, which is supported by the membership through various volunteer committees and funded through membership fees, hall rentals and casino funds.  An important part of the Club is the Lessons Program which runs from April to October, providing lessons to over 2,000 youths each year. Membership in 2004 was approximately at 300 to 350 members.  Slide shows at the monthly meetings from September to June draw good crowds of members and others from the outdoor community. To the best of our knowledge, Bow Waters has the largest tour schedule in Canada, with a membership and activity level to match.

The ongoing success of the club is contingent on keeping to the themes of financial responsibility, maintaining membership, and all members understanding that active volunteerism is the cornerstone of a successful club.