3 minute read
Algonquin Outfitters’ Paddle Art Auction raises awareness and more than $20,000 for arts groups
OTTAWA RECENTLY celebrated the grand opening of the Ottawa River Runners White Water Club Inc. (ORR) solar-powered clubhouse. The clubhouse includes a rooftop solar installation that was funded in part by Bullfrog Power as part of its community renewable projects program. The Pumphouse Whitewater facility is between Booth Street and Bronson Avenue, behind Albert Street. A group of dedicated paddlers banded together to clean the riverbed and shoreline at the base of the city-run pumphouse, allowing it to be an artificial water slalom course for Ottawa area canoe and kayakers.
The group incorporated as the Ottawa River Runners in 1983 and often used shipping containers to store their boats. The exciting news of this new clubhouse was made possible by member-supported fundraising and an Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant. The grand opening of the clubhouse coincided with the Canadian Whitewater National Slalom Championships held in August at the Pumphouse, located adjacent to LeBreton Flats in Ottawa. For more information on the Championships, see www.whitewaterontario.ca. •
Advertisement
The contest launched at the Reel Paddling Film Festival at the Algonquin Theatre had set a goal of 100 submissions and $10,000 raised at the paddle auction to follow for its two chosen recipients: Oxtongue Lake for Arts and Culture (OLAC) and the Town of Huntsville reserve fund for future acquisition of public art.
Rio Olympian Michael Tayler (left), Ottawa River Runners’ Doug Corkery and Olympian Cameron Smedley celebrate the official ground breaking of the Ottawa River Runners new clubhouse for the Pumphouse Whitewater Facility. (photo Michelle Nash Baker/Metroland)
WHEN ALGONQUIN OUTFITTERS (AO) hatched the idea for a paddle art contest, they had no idea what kind of interest it would generate.
“We received nearly 3,000 online bids,” said Randy Mitson, AO’s Marketing Director. “It was a huge success, so successful that our website saw hundreds of people all trying to bid in the last few hours.” In the end, the auction raised a total of $20,094 for the two arts groups.
Two of the three paddles that received the highest bids were submitted by local artists Janine Marson and Don MacKenzie who both asked not to be included in the contest. Janine’s “Tom Thomson” painted paddle garnered a bid of $675 while Don’s carved “Eagle Feather” earned $601.
Between the two was a paddle painted by Christine Gagné, “The Journey Begins”, which sold for $671, putting it first in the contest. Her paddle depicts a bear, moose and howling wolf on one side, and a tranquil scene with loons on the other.
“I wanted to do something to portray (Algonquin Park) in the paddle with a Tom Thomson twist,” said Christine. “I wanted to paint something people could relate to.” She picked up a paddle on a trip to Algonquin Park this summer and got to work, submitting her entry just two weeks before the deadline.
“We are thrilled with the results of the auction and happy to support these two great organizations, as well as bringing awareness to the importance of supporting arts and culture,” said Mitson. •
In 2017 Ottawa will be host to the first OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL ADVENTURE FILM FESTIVAL in Eastern Canada featuring adventure films from across the globe. This festival will be the first of its kind, unique to Ottawa and Eastern Canada.
Come out and celebrate the world of adventure with the vibrant Ottawa adventure community. Learn more at www.facebook.com/ OttawaAdventureFilmFestival.
