| BOW WATERS CANOE CLUBCalgary and area's premier recreational paddling club. |
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History of Bow Water Canoe Club 
With 50 Years of experience, our goal to continue to bring affordable and fun paddling to all is our goal. With 60 trips a year, we have a trip for everyone. From our early days in racing to the river and lake paddling, we have come a long way since our humble beginnings in 1972. On August 23, 1972, the first official club meeting took place. Close to two dozen people attended and a full executive was elected including fifteen directors under the name Chestermere Canoe Club. Starting at $1.00 for a single membership, and $2.50 per family getting people on the water was the plan. The club changed its name to the East Calgary Canoe Club and then Bow Waters Canoe Club officially on July 1, 1974. From the beginning, the new club was under the umbrella of the Canadian Canoe Association the governing body of competitive canoeing and kayaking which offered the ability to purchase boats and equipment. In the spring of 1974, club members began teaching flatwater racing. Racers of all ages competed locally as well as at the Provincial Summer Games and the Canadian Summer Games.
In the 1980’s the focus changed to river touring, and the Club dropped its membership in the Canadian Canoe Association which had allowed a firm foundation to be laid which had provided many outdoor activities, winter, and summer, for hundreds of Calgarians. Bow Waters Canoe Club was officially incorporated as a non-profit society under the Alberta Societies Act on December 16, 1975. The project to build the current clubhouse started in 1980. The construction was carried out by a combination of volunteer labor and paid contractors, using, in many cases, donated or deeply discounted materials. The building was finished by 1985 providing a boat house, modern hall, concrete patio, grass, and trees planted on the bank and in Slater Park and the canal.  In the fall of 1991, winter skiing grew in popularity in the canoe club and the Bow Waters Jackrabbits Club was formed. The Bow Waters Jackrabbits grew rapidly and is very successful, but as of 2010 is no longer affiliated with BWCC. BWCC also had an active cross-country skiing and mountain ski touring program at that time but due to liability and insurance concerns, this was removed from the club's activities. In March of 2000, BWCC members began an initiative to have the weir modified to eliminate the drowning hazard and make the area safe for paddlers with the idea to create a whitewater park. As the project grew in scope, BWCC handed the management role to Calgary parks. who led the project to completion. With an increasing realization that operating the clubhouse was a huge drain on member energy, a plan was made to manage the facility. In November 2011, the Club signed an agreement with Rocky Mountain Paddling Centre to take over the operation of the building and grounds. In exchange, they received space in the clubhouse and continued their management and operation of the lessons program which runs from April to October. Since 2011 Bow Waters Canoe club has continued to be a thriving community for sharing our love of the water. In 2020 covid 19 brought a new challenge for the club but we came out ahead with more new members than before. From canoe tripping, whitewater, paddling events, member presentations and meetings we wrapped up our 50th anniversary in 2022 with a vision of making canoeing and paddling in the Alberta area more accessible to all! |
Past Presidents
We would like to thank all our members, volunteers, board members and those we have made this club what it is today. Special thanks to our club presidents below:
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