Rowing Canada Proposal

January 16, 2019

North Cowichan is extremely pleased to be selected as the new home for Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA).

In May 2018, RCA made an open call for proposals from communities across Canada, seeking to identify a long-term home for a new National Training Centre (NTC) that will be the hub for National Team athletes, coaches, and support staff.

“We are delighted to have found such a willing and supportive partner in North Cowichan, says RCA CEO, Terry Dillon. “From our initial conversations, it was clear that they shared our vision for creating a home for our National Team programs. We look forward to working together in the coming months and years.”

Over the last year, North Cowichan, together with the Cowichan Valley Regional District and other local partners, worked hard to demonstrate that it is the right place for Rowing Canada Aviron's NTC. North Cowichan’s proposal includes space for a boathouse facility, docks, and access to a buoyed course at Art Mann Park, as well as space for a dryland training facility at the nearby Cowichan Sportsplex. Athletes, coaches, and their families will begin relocating to North Cowichan for the 2021 training season.

“We are a region of sport, recreation, and love of the outdoors,” says North Cowichan Mayor Al Siebring. “With its focus on health, sport, and excellence, Rowing Canada Aviron is exactly the partner that we want in our community. We know it will be a significant undertaking for Rowing Canada to build a new home, and our community is with them and supporting them on this journey.”

“On behalf of the CVRD and its residents, I’m pleased to extend congratulations to North Cowichan for their efforts and success in making the Cowichan region the future home of Canada’s rowing community,” said Ian Morrison, Chair of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. “We look forward to welcoming the athletes, coaches and staff to Cowichan, one of Canada’s most livable communities.”

Please view this Fact Sheet [PDF - 133 KB] for more detailed information. Key facts of note: 

  • Rowing Canada Aviron is a non-profit organization recognized by the Government of Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee as the national governing body for the sport of rowing in Canada.
  • Athletes, coaches, and their families will begin relocating to North Cowichan for the 2021 training season. Athletes will continue to train at Quamichan Lake periodically over the next two years, as they have done for the last decade.
  • Once the NTC is built, about 40 – 60 athletes will train daily as they prepare to represent Canada at international rowing competitions, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games (held every four years) and World Rowing Championships (held each year).
  • The Cowichan Sportsplex is a strong supporter of this partnership and looks forward to working with RCA.
  • Art Mann Park will remain a public park. A park redesign process will be undertaken with the community and RCA.
  • Other recreational uses on Quamichan Lake, such as canoeing, fishing, the model airplane club, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and the aerodrome will continue to occur.

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