There was much to be celebrated at Rowing Canada Aviron鈥檚 National Training Centre on Quamichan Lake Thursday morning, Sept. 28. As rowers bustled to and fro preparing for this weekend鈥檚 2023 National Rowing Championships on Quamichan Lake, dignitaries gathered to officially open the growing facility鈥檚 new docks and to celebrate the resulting the positive impacts, economic and otherwise, that the region is projected to benefit from.

Rowing Canada CEO Terry Dillon welcomed all to the special event and thanked the many partners that have allowed the infrastructure project to proceed over the years, including the governments of Canada and B.C., Pacific Economic Development Canada, the Municipality of North Cowichan, Islands Coastal Economic Trust (ICET), Mosiac Forest Management, the Cowichan Valley Regional District, Duncan Community Lodge, Western Forest Products, Harriet and John Lehnen, Maple Bay Rowing Club, and other individuals and private and/or anonymous donors.

Dillon said that at any given time there are 50-60 athletes, coaches and support staff training out of the Centre and living and spending their money in the region.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really exciting for us,鈥� he said, acknowledging that this weekend there鈥檒l be roughly 250 rowers and support staff at the site and boosting the local economy.

鈥淭oday marks a special day for us as we host for the second time the National Rowing Championships,鈥� Dillon said. 鈥淲e feel really excited about the opportunity to host them here, to take advantage of the work we鈥檝e done on the facility we鈥檝e created, and with the course on the lake.鈥�

Dillon thanked Maple Bay Rowing Club president Susan Macdonald for her efforts with the project. She later noted that her group, and rowing interest within the region in general, has thrived with the arrival of and partnership with Rowing Canada.

With the club鈥檚 younger members able to engage with and be inspired by the world-class athletes, it鈥檚 been a strong relationship between MBRC and Rowing Canada, she said.

鈥淲e are thrilled to have the national team as our neighbours,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely been beneficial on so many levels.鈥�

Dillon noted that it was never the intention for the National Training Centre to host major rowing events such as the nationals.

鈥淚t was obviously always the intention that there would be a huge impact on the community in terms of the location of our programs and staff and those around our programs here but it鈥檚 been a wonderful add-on to the vision to be able to host an event like this and to feel confident that we have the capacity to do that. And none of that would be possible without the docks and the shoreline infrastructure which we鈥檙e here to celebrate.鈥�

National team member Kristen Kit, who in her role as the coxswain recently helped the Canadian Women鈥檚 eight qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, talked about the impact the new infrastructure at the National Training Centre has had on the athletes, and the pride she has, as a paralympic rower, in saying the facility is accessible.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so amazing to be at the National Training Centre to be able to say 鈥榶eah, we have accessible docks鈥�. It makes me really proud to be here. It makes me really proud to be on the Canadian National Team knowing that these docks can welcome everyone.鈥�