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(20/09/2021) Marchant defends and Drobeck takes his first at Barrelman
The day began under sunny skies and relatively calm conditions at the participant and spectator friendly new Niagara Falls Barrelman Triathlon swim course at the Welland International Flatwater Centre.
(20/09/2021) Barrelman Triathlon huge success on the weekend
Driving around Niagara Falls can be difficult enough on a typical summer weekend, but when you add road closures and hundreds of athletes taking part in the second annual Barrelman Triathlon, expect the stress level to be kicked up a notch. Many local residents stayed off the main roads while visitors did their best to stay calm and enjoy both the beautiful weather and scenery along the parkway close to both the American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls.
(14/09/2021) Dragon Boater Darryl Draper’s neck draped in gold
One by one, the eight gold medals he won with Canada’s national dragon boat team began to weigh heavily on paddler Darryl Draper’s neck.The nine-year employee of Shop 141 at Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton, and his teammates from across the nation, made the triumphant climb to the top of the podium eight times at the International Dragon Boat Federation World Championships in Welland, Ont., Aug. 19 to 23.
(09/09/2021) Burnaby dragonboater wins big
You will have to excuse Paige Misfeldt if her luggage was a bit heavier when she arrived home from Toronto. The Burnaby native was carrying seven medals she won at the 12th annual International Dragon Boat Federation World racing championships in Ontario. Misfeldt raced on Team Canada’s premier mixed and women’s teams winning gold in the two-km, silver in the 200m and two bronze medals in the one-km and 500m all with the mixed team and two gold in the one-km, 500m and a silver in the two-km with the women’s team.
(09/09/2021) Dragonboaters lift Canada to gold at Worlds
Five local dragon boat racers can call themselves the best in the world after bringing home eight gold medals during the 2015 World Dragon Boat Racing Championships earlier this month. Gorging Dragons paddlers Tom Arnold, Matthew Michaelis, Andree St. Denis, Darryl Draper and Patti Cross with the Vancouver Island Paddling Club helped lift Canada to the top during the world championships in Welland, Ontario from Aug. 19 to 23.
(09/09/2021) Teen swimmers set 24-hour relay record
Young swimmers from across Niagara have set a record on Lake Ontario with a 24-hour relay swim which saw them dodge canal bound vessels and battle 20 km/hr headwinds.The swimmers, from West Park Aquatics Club, set out from Queen's Royal Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake on Aug. 29 at 9:33 a.m. and headed down the coastline to the U.S. waters off New York State.The group of eight teens took turns on the water, followed by a motorboat, two zodiacs provided by the Welland International Flatwater Centre and a tandem kayak, paddled by Kai Scott and Christine Arsenault, mother of two of the swimmers, Michaela and Trinity, all three of whom have extensive experience with distance swimming.
(02/09/2021) Dragon boater goes out with a roar
Alicia Martin is sad to see her time as a competitive dragon boat racer with the University of Waterloo Vikings draw to a close, but she went out on winning note with five medals, including two golds, at the Pan American Club Crew Championships.
(26/08/2021) Canada claims cup in sport of dragonboating
Paige Misfeldt’s lucky number must be seven.The Burnaby resident won that many medals with Team Canada at the 12th annual International Dragon Boat Federation World racing championships at the Welland Flatwater Centre in Ontario last weekend.
(26/08/2021) LETTER: Take a stand against smoking
We had a wonderful week at the 2015 Dragon Boat World Championships at the Welland International Flatwater Centre. We had no idea that Canada dominated dragon-boat racing. We estimated that 70% to 80% of the gold medals were won by Canadian teams: male, female, mixed, junior and senior. The men's senior C team, in which we had a particular interest, won seven medals in their seven events -- six gold and one silver -- an incredible achievement!
(26/08/2021) Enter the Dragon
By all accounts it appears the 2015 World Dragon Boat Championships were a success, both on and off the water.Upwards of 2,300 athletes hit the water of the Welland International Flatwater Centre (WIFC) from Aug. 19 to 23 competing in the first world championships of the sport ever hosted in Canada.
(25/08/2021) Stratford paddlers helped Canada dominate the IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Welland
Stratford paddlers helped Canada dominate the 12th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Welland. Canadian teams won 61 gold medals, 12 silver and three bronze.
(24/08/2021) Dragons invade Welland businesses
Dragon boat racers were the clear winners when it came to supporting local shops. Although local business owners said the canoe and kayak competitions held during the Pan Am Games in July had little direct impact on their bottom line, they were extremely busy during the past week when athletes from all over the world gathered by the thousands in Welland for the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships.
(25/08/2021) Barrie native wins big at PanAm dragon boat races
Dragon boat paddler Kyle Poland plans to hang his four gold and silver medal in his university room after competing at the Pan American Club Crew Championships last week
(23/08/2021) Shoreline Market and Expo sees excitement off the water
The World Dragon Boat Racing Championships hosted at the Welland International Flatwater Centre this past week saw excitement, on and off the water. The Shoreline Market and Expo ran throughout both the Pan American Club Crew Championships last week and the world championships which wrapped up Sunday on the flatwater centre’s north course.
(22/08/2021) Special guest will be in Welland to hand out gold medals at Dragon Boat Racing
Welland continues to welcome the world as the city hosts the 2015 World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, and a special guest will be there Saturday.
(22/08/2021) BENNER: Dragon heads might be terrifying, but they're not terrorism
Perhaps it's a sign of the times. Athletes and officials from six countries – the Philippines, India, Ukraine, Iran and Ghana – were denied visas to enter Canada to compete in the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships taking place right here in Welland this week.
(21/08/2021) German, Swedish paddlers do double duty as coaches at dragon boat championships
Christoffer Carlsson and Conny Schmidt coach dragon boat by the seat of their pants. Carlsson, captain of Sweden’s under-24 mixed team, and Schmidt, coach of Germany’s premier women’s crew, replay videos to see what happened in a race, just like their counterparts at the world championships in Welland.
(20/08/2021) Drumming is just something else completely
From her seat in the bow of the dragon boat, Courtney Jonas said she can feel the sheer power of her teammates propelling the craft along the water.“Being at the front of a boat, when it’s a powerful boat, it’s one of the best feelings,” she said.
(20/08/2021) Paddlers Train For Months at World Championships in Welland
Whether dragon boating is a fun activity to share with friends and co-workers on the water or a world-class sport that demands intense focus and a strict training regimen is all in the eyes – and thirst – of the beholder.
(19/08/2021) Dragon Boat Racing
The World Dragon Boat Championships are being held in Welland this week, and it’s brought the sport’s highest level athletes into our own backyard. But dragon boating isn’t all about competition. It’s a very accessible sport that welcomes people of all ages and skill levels. Whether you just want to paddle once a week or stroke your way to the top.
(19/08/2021) Niagara Welcomes the world of dragon boat
It’s a Canadian first and it’s happening in Welland. The 2015 World Dragon Boat Racing Championships kicked off on Monday night with opening ceremonies at Victoria Park in Niagara Falls
(19/08/2021) Niagara Welcomes the world of dragon boat
It’s a Canadian first and it’s happening in Welland. The 2015 World Dragon Boat Racing Championships kicked off on Monday night with opening ceremonies at Victoria Park in Niagara Falls
(19/08/2021) World Dragon Boat Racing Championships
Jaclyn brings us a sneak peak of the World Dragon Boat Racing Championship.
(18/08/2021) World Dragon Boat Racing Championships
Athletes have landed and are busy getting ready for an exciting day on the water Wednesday as the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships kick off. Thousands of athletes from around the world are here to paddle hard in five days of competition at the Welland International Flatwater Centre.
(17/08/2021) Red carpet rolled out for dragon boaters
Dragon Boat Niagara 2015 brought thousands of athletes from around the world to the region this past weekend and the action continues this week. It might be early yet to determine the scale of the economic impact the events will have on local business, but Dolores Fabiano, executive director for the Welland/Pelham, Port Colborne-Wainfleet and Niagara Falls Chambers of Commerce said things are looking good.
(16/08/2021) Welland praise drummed up by dragon boaters
It was more than just the athletes who took gold this weekend at the Welland International Flatwater Centre. The venue itself earned rave reviews during what was the first of two consecutive weekends of international dragon boat activity on the recreational canal.
(14/08/2021) Dragon Boaters Set to Take the Waterway
You could feel the excitement in the air as the Rusty Dragons crossed the finish line Friday. The blind and partially-sighted dragon boat team is competing in the Pan American Crew Club Championships (PACCC) at the Welland International Flatwater Centre, part of Dragon Boat Niagara.
(12/08/2021) Pan American Crews to battle this weekend in Welland
While the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games may be over there will still be some new world competition on the recreational canal this week.From Aug. 14 to 16 the Welland International Flatwater Centre (WIFC) will play host to the Dragon Boat Pan American Club Crew Championships (PACC) with roughly 400 athletes paddling head to head on the water.
(11/08/2021) Dragon Boaters Set to Take the Waterway
The Welland International Flatwater Centre is again ready to host athletes from across the continent as they compete in a weekend of dragon boat fun.The 2015 Pan American Club Crew Championships will hit town Friday through Sunday with approximately 800 athletes coming in for the festival.
(09/08/2021) Masters swimmers ply Welland waters
Welland’s recreational waterway continues to make a big splash with swimmers — including those who competed in the Ontario masters open-water swim championships Sunday morning.
(05/08/2021) WIFC Ready to Welcome Dragon Boats
The Welland International Flatwater Centre is ready to welcome the dragon boats, for this year’s Pan American Club Crew Championships, Aug. 14-16, and the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, Aug. 19-23.
(13/07/2021) WIFC an A-1 Venue, Says CanoeKayak Canada
As the Pan Am Games in Welland wrap up Tuesday, the now busy Welland International Flatwater Centre will quickly become noticeably quiet.That is, until the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships come to town in August.But what of future international events?
(09/07/2021) Canada intent on Medalling in Every Sprint Canoe / Kayak Event
To say the host country wants to “do well” in sprint canoe/kayak at the Pan Am Games would be like suggesting Noah was preparing for a “little rain” when he was building the ark. A total of 13 events are taking place on the Welland International Flatwater Centre’s north course over four days beginning Saturday, and CanoeKayak Canada’s high-performance director wants to see a member of his team on the podium after each final.
(28/06/2021) Rain can’t put out dragons’ fire
Area businesses felt the impact when more than 3,000 athletes from coast to coast called the banks of Welland’s recreational canal home for three days.The members of 147 dragon boat teams from Halifax to Vancouver stayed in area hotels and visited restaurants and other businesses while competing in the Canadian Dragon Boat Championships Friday to Sunday at Welland International Flatwater Centre, said Dragon Boat Canada executive director Chloe Greenhalgh.
(28/06/2021) Looking forward to the world's arrival
The influx of thousands of dragon boat racers from across Canada for the national dragon boat championships was only a taste of things to come in Welland. For the first time ever, the World Dragon Boat Championships will take place in Canada Aug. 19 to 23, bringing about 5,000 athletes to the Rose City from all over the world, said Dragon Boat Canada executive director Chloe Greenhalgh.
(26/06/2021) Welland native Rebecca D'Amico returns to home to compete at national dragon boat championships
Rebecca D’Amico hasn’t had to worry about supporting a teammate on her shoulders since she was part of the base for human pyramids as a cheerleader at Notre Dame. While the Welland native graduated from high school in 1996, and put away her pom-poms a short time later when she began majoring in social work at Brock University, she continues to bear the weighty expectations of united-we-stand, divided-we-fall teams.
(24/06/2021) Welland Dragon Boat Championship Action Like 'NASCAR In Boats'
Welland’s recreational canal will be awash with dragons of the drum-beating, muscle-straining and high-fiving kind. Upwards of 3,000 athletes from across Canada are competing in the Canadian Dragon Boat Championship taking place on Welland International Flatwater Centre’s north course beginning Friday.
(17/06/2021) Tickets on sale for Dragon Boat Niagara 2015
Sometimes you just have to strut your stuff.The city of Welland’s economic development office did just that last Wednesday at the Welland International Flatwater Centre with the sixth annual Made in Welland Event, an annual celebrations of economic success in the city.
(02/06/2021) Tickets on sale for Dragon Boat Niagara 2015
Tickets are on sale for Dragon Boat Niagara 2015, which will see thousands of athletes take to Welland’s recreational waterway this summer. DBN2015 features two international dragon boat racing championships that will attract more than 4,000 athletes from more than 20 countries. p>
(14/05/2021) Canoe Rentals Return this Weekend
The WRCC’s canoe rental program is back, just in time for the long weekend.The Welland Recreational Canal Corp. was given the green light to resume operation of its canoe rental program after city council supported a recommendation by Welland’s interim manager Janette Loveys-Smith this week. p>
(14/05/2021) Make a Splash this Weekend - Rent a Canoe and Have fun in Niagara!
The Welland Recreational Canal Corporation is excited to announce it has received direction from the City to launch the Welland Canoe Rental Program this May long weekend. It will be open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 10 am till dusk – make a splash this weekend!. p>
(03/05/2021) Celebrating Spring at the WIFC
In its first full season of use, more than 1,000 prospective athletes from Welland honed their skills on the city's indoor rowing tank.And that's just during the Friday evenings when the facility was opened to the community to use at no charge through the Welland International Flatwater Centre's Boarding Pass Program. p>
(30/04/2021) WRCC kicking off canal season
The Welland Recreational Canal Corporation is getting ready to kick off summer on the water.This Saturday, May 2, the arms-length city corporation will host a Tank to Waterway Celebration wrapping up the first winter season of the Welland Indoor Paddle Tank at the Welland International Flatwater Centre.
(03/04/2021) Welland Indoor Paddle Tank
It may still be a bit cold to hit the open water, so Lori’s with some paddlers who are doing it indoors, at the Welland International Flatwater Centre’s paddle tank, where they’re training for Dragon Boat Niagara 2015, happening this August.
(23/03/2021) Welland's canal trails awarded $22,800 grant
The National Trails Coalition has awarded a $22,800 grant to Welland Recreational Canal Corp. for its Welland Recreational Waterway Trail.
(23/03/2021) Light Shined on Some of Niagara's Pan Am Torch Bearers
Light is starting to be shined on some of the uniformed runners who will carry the Pan Am Games flame through Niagara.
(17/03/2021) Axed IlluminAqua Concert Featured on PBS
The smoke from floating bonfires drifts across the stage, captured under colourful lights by high-resolution cameras. The steeple of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and the Main Street Bridge are silhouetted against the darkening sky as Mark Masri performs, accompanied by an orchestra. The bridge was still partly shrouded in scaffolding when the footage was filmed during Masri’s July 5 IlluminAqua concert.
(06/03/2021) Volunteers needed for Dragon Boat Niagara 2015
The Welland Recreational Canal Corporation is looking for a little help. Last week at the Seaway Mall the corporation and Dragon Boat Niagara 2015 (DBN2015) launched their volunteer program for two upcoming events less than 170 days away.
(15/02/2021) Welland Could be New Home to Flyboard Niagara
Local adrenaline junkies could be in luck. Welland Recreational Canal Corp. is in talks to bring FlyBoard Niagara to the Rose City. Once located at the Greater Niagara Boating Club in Niagara Falls, the company, which has participants riding a waterjet-powered board into the air, is now looking for a new home to call its own and believes a spot in the Welland Recreational Canal may be just the right fit.
(09/02/2021) Dragon Boat Niagara 2015 Looking for Volunteers
With as many as 4,000 participants expected, a small army of volunteers are needed for Dragon Boat Niagara 2015 in Welland.Both the Pan American Club Crew Dragon Boat Championships and the International Dragon Boat Federation's World Dragon Boat Racing Championships are being held Aug. 14-23 at the Welland International Flatwater Centre.
(06/02/2021) RegattaSport named outfitter for dragon boats
Niagara athletic wear company RegattaSport has been named the official apparel and volunteer outfitter for international dragon boat championships taking place this year in Welland.Dragon Boat Niagara 2015 will be staged at Welland International Flatwater Centre in August.
(30/01/2021) Opportunity Open to Paddle Through Winter
While ice may be blocking up most of the waterways Welland residents can still sneak in a paddle in the coming weeks. The Welland Recreational Canal Corporation announced this week the launch of the Welland Indoor Paddle Tank Boarding Pass Program. The program will allow the public several free opportunities to try out the indoor paddle tank at the Welland International Flatwater Centre in a range of flatwater sports from dragon boating to kayaking.
(09/01/2021) Welland preferred site for Canada's Dragon Boat Championships
It’s a deal that will mean millions of dollars for Welland’s economy over the next several years.Dragon Boat Canada has agreed to make the Rose City host of its national championships five of the next six years, with an option to renew a collaborative agreement for use of Welland International Flatwater Centre facilities for an additional five of six years.
(09/01/2021) Welland Named as Long-Term Dragon Boat Host
If dragon boating in Canada has a capital it just might be Welland.This week the Welland Recreational Canal Corporation (WRCC) and Dragon Boat Canada announced the Welland International Flatwater Centre will host five of the next six national championships of the sport. The city has already hosted two such national championships in 2011 and 2014.
(11/12/2020) Pan Am Games tickets on sale
Those wishing to nab a front-row seat this summer as the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games roll into town may want to get their cash, or credit cards, ready. Tickets to the games went on sale Monday including those for the canoe/kayak sprint events that will take to the waters of the Welland International Flatwater Centre between July 11 and 14, 2015. Tickets to the Welland events are 435 an are just part of the 1.4 million games tickets available.
(07/12/2020) Niagara Buzz Visits the BLX and WRCC Storefront
The store is made possible through the generosity of the Seaway Mall and the Welland Recreational Canal Corporation who share the space with their Art Canoe Project.
(04/12/2020) WRCC lands funding for dragon boats
There will be a few extra boats hitting the waters of the Welland Recreational Canal next summer. On Monday the Welladn Recreational Canal Corporation announced, in partnership with Dragon Boat Canada and the South Niagara Canoe Club, it has secured a $123,800 Ontario Trillium Foundation grant for the purchase of new dragon boats in advance of Dragon Boat Niagara 2015.
(01/12/2020) Grant allows Welland to Buy 30 Dragon Boats
There will be a whole lot of new dragons floating down the Welland Recreational Canal next year. Welland Recreational Canal Corp. has been awarded a $123,800 Ontario Trillium Foundation grant to buy 30 new dragon boats for Welland International Flatwater Centre.
(29/11/2020) Volunteer Management: Welland International Flatwater Centre
Only a few short hours spent at the Welland International Flatwater Centre (WIFC) is all it takes to know that volunteerism is alive in the City of Welland, Ont.
(14/11/2020) There is a Canoe Parked at Welland's City Hall
You can’t miss it, prominently displayed in front of Welland Civic Square. Seeing it there at the sign of East Main St. in the city’s downtown core kind of reminds me of something you’d see in a northern wilderness town — you know, the kind that’s only accessible by paddling along a river.
(12/11/2020) 'Paint-by-Numbers' Canoe Part of Legacy
A project by Welland’s arts and culture advisory committee in partnership with the Welland Recreational Canal Corp. to create a lasting legacy for the city by recruiting local artists to create masterpieces using old canoes as canvasses, has recently received additional support from the 2015 Pan Am Games IGNITE program
(12/11/2020) Fischer says WIFC successful despite negativity
The executive director of Welland Recreational Canal Corp. told a group from the Rotary Club of Welland Tuesday that in spite of any negativity aimed at Welland International Flatwater Centre, business is going well.
(09/10/2020) Divers Take to the Water in Fight Against Cancer
The Niagara Divers’ Association went deep in the fight against cancer this past weekend. On Sunday, the fifth annual Dive for A Cure event returned to the recreational canal’s scuba park with more than 25 divers braving the depths to participate in underwater pumpkin carving contests and scavenger hunts, all in support of the Canadian Cancer Society.
(09/10/2020) Canal Corporation Seeking Input on Future Direction
With seven years at the helm the Welland Recreational Canal Corporation, executive director Stephen Fischer is taking pause to reflect on the past and look to the future.
(02/10/2020) Diving for a Cause At Welland's Scuba Park
How, exactly, does one carve a pumpkin under water?Very carefully.“It's very tricky,” said Christine Davidson, one of the organizers for Dive for a Cure, which was held for the fifth time at the Welland Recreational Canal Scuba Park Sunday. “The pumpkins float and they're not allowed to put a hole in them until they're under water.”
(02/10/2020) More Input Sought for Master Plan
Stephen Fischer called it a “pool in the waterway.” “I don’t want to call it a beach, but that’s what people are referring to it as,” said Fischer, the Welland Recreational Canal Corp. executive director.The idea of developing a public beach along the recreational canal has been discussed by city councillors and residents for decades, but it’s now listed among the WRCC’s priorities in the years to come.
(02/10/2020) Indoor Paddle Tank
A public open house was held for the Welland Indoor Paddle Tank. The facility is the only one of its kind in North America. Norah-Jean Howard has more.
(02/10/2020) Five Bridge Classic Attracts More than 800 competitors
Welland’s two rowing clubs combined for 19 top-three finishes, including 10 gold medals, in the Five Bridges Classic head race.
The South Niagara Rowing Club, hosts of a time-trial competition that challenged crews along a 5.2-km course under five bridges on the Welland Recreational Canal, ended Saturday’s one-day event with eight gold medals, six silver and a bronze.
(30/09/2021) Recreational Canal Master Plan Session Wednesday
Rose City residents are encouraged to participate in Welland Recreational Canal Corp.’s master plan public session Wednesday night starting at 6. It takes place at Welland International Flatwater Centre.The master plan was initiated in November 2006 to guide detailed planning and development and enhancement of the waterway and canal lands. The original plan was adopted by city council in June 2008.
(30/09/2021) Open House at Welland's Indoor Paddle Tank
Welland International Flatwater Centre is holding its indoor paddle tank open house Wednesday.
North America’s only dual channel, variable speed, multi-sport training tank allows users to practise flatwater sports including canoe, kayak and dragon boat year round.
(28/09/2021) South Niagara Rowing Club to Welcome National Team Rowers Sarah Black & Kerry Shaffer, Courtesy of RCA Club & Coach Grant, Powered by Immunocal
South Niagara Rowing Club will welcome National Team Rowers Sarah Black and Kerry Shaffer, along with National Assistant Women’s Coach, Tom Morris, over the weekend to attend the annual Head of the Welland Regatta and participate in a ‘Celebrity Race’ with Welland’s local politicians.
(25/09/2021) National Team Members Set the Pace For Candidates in VIP Race
Six local municipal election candidates won’t be testing the political waters at the Five Bridges Classic head race Saturday in Welland.
Instead, city council hopefuls Mark Carl, Richard Kay, Darcie Lewis, Steven Soos and Dominic Szuch and regional council candidate Graham Speck will be literally in the water, campaigning to beat the clock in the time-trial competition taking place on the Welland Recreational Canal.
(23/09/2021) Paddle Tank Open House Set for October 1
The Welland International Flatwater Centre’s Paddle Tank open house is set for Oct. 1.
The indoor Paddle Tank facility allows all flatwater enthusiasts to practise their sport in the winter months. An open house at the facility will allow visitors to see North America’s only dual-channel, variable speed, multi-sport training tank, suitable for canoe, kayak, dragon boat and rowing practising.
(19/09/2021) Rose City History Showcased at Canal Terrace
If you’ve bypassed downtown Welland because of the ongoing closure of Main Street Bridge, you may have missed something.
The Canal Terrace is now complete — graced with 18 interpretive panels that profile the Rose City’s illustrious past in building and industry, canal structures and heritage homes.
(19/09/2021) Triathalon Compete $5,000 at inaugural Barrelman Triathalon
More than 700 athletes will converge on the Welland Canal to compete in the inaugural Niagara Falls Barrelman Triathlon on Sunday, Sept. 21. A $5,000 prize is the main attraction of the Barrelman Triathlon with three qualifying spots per age group for the upcoming 2015 ITU World Championships in Sweden.
(18/09/2021)
Welland Welcomes Francophone Conference
There’s a few extra Francophones in the Rose City this week. That’s because the Francophone Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AFMO) is in the city for tis 25th Annual Conference.
(18/09/2021) Kidney Walk in Welland Saturday
People will be lacing up their running shoes at Merritt Island this weekend to raise awareness and funds to support friends and neighbours living with kidney disease.Kidney Walk 2014 takes place on Welland’s island Saturday at 11 a.m. Registration starts one hour earlier.
(16/09/2021) Art in the City
The aroma from hundreds of different foods permeated the air during the Niagara Food Festival last weekend, each of them a work of art in their own right.
But George Doros focused his attention on a display of a somewhat more traditional kind of artwork.
The chair of Welland’s arts and culture advisory committee stood beside a collection of five canoes, each transformed into a masterpiece by area artists.
(16/09/2021) More than 600 expected to compete in Niagara Falls Barrelman
After spending a couple years planning for it, the inaugural Niagara Falls Barrelman is only a few days away.
Sponsored by MultiSport Canada, the Niagara Falls Barrelman is a triathlon taking place this weekend. It will begin in Welland and ends up in Niagara Falls.
(03/09/2021) GUEST POST: Jimmy Rankin at IlluminAqua - Photo Feature by Paul Duncan
Singer, songwriter and guitarist Jimmy Rankin of the former 1980's and 1990's group The Rankin Family played IlluminAqua this past Friday, during his visit to the Rose City.
(01/09/2021) Welland Fishing Holes Lure Niagara
It seems Wellanders are not alone in knowing there’s some good fishing in town.
Just ask Fred Wong, who Saturday morning hopped in his car, drove up the 406 from St. Catharines and started casting thick rubber worms in the Welland Recreational Canal nearby the Welland International Flatwater Centre building.
(28/08/2021) Rankin Family Songwriter Closing Out IlluminAqua
The floating stage at IlluminAqua will treat audiences to a triple bill-evening for its final concert of the 2014 season. The evening kicks off with Seaway Mall’s Niagara’s Next Star winner Andi Diaz followed by Beams, an art-country indie folk rock band from Toronto.
(28/08/2021) Spots Open for Pan Am Youth Summit
The Toronto 2015 Youth Summit has 300 spots available for Ontario youths who want to learn hands-on about the value of sport to community and the true legacy that an international multi-sport Games, like the 2015 Pan Am Games, can leave on a region.
(28/08/2021) Final Canoe Unveiling for the Canoe Art Project
The Canoe Art Project will reveal an additional canoe in Welland’s ongoing public art series during the final IlluminAqua concert of the season Friday at Merritt Park Amphitheatre.
(27/08/2021) Jimmy Rankin to Close IlluminAqua Season
A Canadian icon, as well as two talented opening acts, will close this summer’s IlluminAqua concert series with a bang Friday night at Merritt Park Amphitheatre.
(26/08/2021) At Welland Recreational Canal, canoe season's not over yet
The time to enjoy the recreational canal isn’t over just yet.The Welland Recreational Canal Corporation announced this week it will extend its canoe rental program into September, keeping it open for weekends until Sept. 21.
(26/08/2021) At Welland Recreational Canal, canoe season's not over yet
The time to enjoy the recreational canal isn’t over just yet.The Welland Recreational Canal Corporation announced this week it will extend its canoe rental program into September, keeping it open for weekends until Sept. 21.
(26/08/2021)
Indoor paddle tank gets $100,000 funding
With the support of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, The Welland Recreational Canal Corporation announced it has received funding for the Indoor Paddle Tank Program to cover programs for the next two years.
(25/08/2021) Training tank receives $100K for programming
The provincial government is sending a wave of funding into the Rose City.Welland Recreational Canal Corp. announced Monday the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport has awarded $100,000 to the Welland Indoor Paddle Tank Program over the next two years.
(21/08/2021) Pan Am Ticket Prices, Schedules Released
The organizers of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games released the ticket prices and schedule this week for all of the ceremonies and competitions planned for the games, scheduled for July 10-26.
(15/08/2021) Thousands of Soldiers in Niagara
The scenario – an attack on the Welland Canal also mirrors the reality of both the First and Second World Wars, when military troops including the Lincoln and Welland Regiment were stationed along the waterway – protecting the area from potential attack.
(15/08/2021) Mark Masri PBS Sizzle Reel 2014
Coming this winter to PBS! Filmed on the Welland Canal in Welland Ontario the concert was an evening of friends, light and music. As one reviewer said the show was "...the best of combinations: A soulful tenor voice, a jaw dropping vocal range. Original songs, and old songs made anew.
(10/08/2021) Swim Competition Heats up Waterway
More than 80 swimmers took to the water at the Welland International Flatwater Centre's north course Sunday for the Elma Couture Open Water Provincial Swim Championship. The Masters Swimming event is hosted by Welland Masters Swim Team and Brock Aquatics.
(02/08/2021) Welland Native Gatta to Open IlluminAqua Show
Katey Gatta is expected to get a big hometown reception when she opens Friday's IlluminAqua concert for Bobby Bazini and Florence K at Merritt Park Amphitheatre.Now 22, the Welland native has been entertaining locally since 16t, gaining a reputation for covering top 40 and classic rock songs — each with a unique twist on them.
(30/07/2021) Jacob Koudys Doesn't Consider Himself Passenger in Rowing Crews
Jacob Koudys doesn’t regard the gold medal he won at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships as the sport’s equivalent to a windfall in frequent flyer points. Though he didn’t have an oar in his hands and wasn’t among the rowers who swept Canada’s men’s coxed four to a come-from-behind victory Saturday in Italy, the 20-year-old Fonthill native bristles at the suggestion that he was “just along for the ride” as the crew’s coxswain.
(28/07/2021) World Championship Gold for Welland Native
Trofym Anderson had just finished up a training session with his Canadian rowing team crew in Victoria, B.C. six weeks ago when the group made a decision that would culminate in a world championship. “Someone made a comment that we should just try to win it,” the 22-year-old Anderson said Monday in a phone interview from Italy. The Welland native was sitting at the Milan airport getting ready to fly to Greece for some much-needed rest 48 hours after he and the rest of Canada's men's coxed four crew won gold at the World Under-23 Rowing Championships in nearby Varese, Italy
(24/07/2021) Ontario Rowing Championships on Tap on Saturday, Sunday in Welland
Nick Tavares and Luc Brodeur had to row for their send-off supper.Before tucking into hamburgs and hotdogs at a barbecue held in their honour Thursday night at the South Niagara Rowing Club in Welland, Canada’s newly minted junior men’s doubles crew spent more than an hour practising together on the club’s Great Dain under the watchful eye of John Ruscitti, their national team coach, who was motoring alongside in an outboard and using a megaphone to give his instructions.
(25/07/2021) Rowers Representing Canada at Worlds After Setting the Pace in Time Trials
Nick Tavares and Luc Brodeur had to row for their send-off supper.Before tucking into hamburgs and hotdogs at a barbecue held in their honour Thursday night at the South Niagara Rowing Club in Welland, Canada’s newly minted junior men’s doubles crew spent more than an hour practising together on the club’s Great Dain under the watchful eye of John Ruscitti, their national team coach, who was motoring alongside in an outboard and using a megaphone to give his instructions.
(11/07/2021) Welland's One Year Pan-Am Countdown Underway
“Everyone has a piece of the puzzle to fill and a role to play,” he said Saturday as the Welland International Flatwater Centre hosted an event to kickoff the one-year countdown for the games. “It's coordinating all of those pieces and putting on the best games ever.”
(11/07/2021) Trail Reopens
After more than two years, outdoor enthusiasts will once again be able to walk, jog or roll along the recreational trail on Merritt Island &mdash all the way to Thorold if they wish, and beyond.
The north end of the trail, closed in 2012 to accommodate construction workers building a new bridge as part of the widening of Hwy. 406, was reopened at noon, Friday.
(10/07/2021) Welland Teen Paddles in Memory of Friends
As each kilometre on the rippling water passed, the memories of two friends grew stronger and stronger for Maddi Leblanc. She never really had a chance to say goodbye to Julia Turner or Lynn Lambert. Cancer took both of them far too early. Lambert, a neighbour, died in March 2011 at 37. Nine months later the wretched disease took her close friend Turner at 15.
(09/07/2021) Welland's Lauren Aiello Central Flordia's Rower of the Year
or someone who spends so much time on the water Lauren Aiello has her feet planted solidly on the ground.
Though the 19-year-old rower enjoyed a fantastic freshman season at the University of Central Florida, both on the water for the Orlando school and in the classroom, where she made the dean’s list, Aiello is not the type to be content with her successes and spend the off-season resting on her considerable laurels.
(06/07/2021) Dragon Boaters Take to Water in Welland
The 2014 Canadian Dragon Boat Championships took place this weekend in Welland. The International Flatwater Centre played host for the 8th annual event. Dragon boat is the essence of team work, dedicated athletes working in perfect symmetry all charging for the finish line.
(03/07/2021) Standup Paddler Inspired by Losses to Cancer
These warm days you’ll often find Maddi Leblanc on two legs traversing the Welland Recreational Canal.Three summers ago, the 17-year-old bought her first standup paddleboard.“I’m so happy I got into it,” she says. “The more you paddle, the more momentum you get, so it is easy to stay on board.”
(02/07/2021) Dragon Boaters Set to Paddle to National Championships in Welland
The beat of drums and paddles moving in unison will certainly be heard on the recreational canal this weekend. From July 4 to 6 upwards of 2,400 athletes will take to the waters of the Welland International Flatwater Centre for the Dragon Boat National Championships in an event that will see roughly 85 crews competing in the sport.
(02/07/2021) Welland to Start Pan Am Games Countdown
Pedal boat, canoe, kayak and standup paddle board rentals will all be free July 12 when Welland launches a one-year countdown to the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games. The Rose City will be host to the Games’ sprint canoe events.
(02/07/2021) IlluminAqua Features Country Music, PBS Taping
The IlluminAqua stage will be set this Friday for country and bluegrass performances, then on Saturday be the venue for the filming of a PBS special. Niagara country singer Chelsea Crites opens up Friday night’s entertainment, followed by Whitney Rose.
(29/06/2021) Annual Open House
The Welland Recreational Canal Corporation held their first annual Open House for residents to explore the waterway. Carolyn LoConte reports.
Watch Coverage »
(28/06/2021) Testing Out Waters In Welland
Pachi the Porcupine might like to clap, but he's definitely not a rower.The mascot for the 2015 Pan American Games being held in Southern Ontario made a stop in Welland Saturday as part of a free day of boat demos at the PenFinancial Flatwater Community Centre.
Read Article »
(26/06/2021) Masri Plans 'Special' Show
When Mark Masri takes to the Illuminaqua stage, the pressure will be on.He will not only be performing for a live audience but every single nuance of his performance on July 5 will be captured in both sound and vision by television cameras and multi-track recorders.
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(25/06/2021) Welland Ready for New Wave
There are more than a few reasons business is looking at Welland. The Welland Economic Development Commission recently hosted its annual Made in Welland event at the Welland International Flatwater Centre, celebrating successes in investment in the city and taking a particular focus this year on emerging young entrepreneurs.
Read Article »
(21/06/2021) Festival Derby Lures Young Anglers
Fishing always reels in 12-year-old Brendan Gingras."It's fun. It teaches me a little patience &mdash and I get to spend time with my family." His comments pretty much summed up the philosophy behind Welland Rose Festival's children's fishing derby, which Saturday morning lured dozens of people to Welland International Flatwater Centre..
Read Article »
(20/06/2021) Busy Weekend for Welland Rose Festival
Dozens of young anglers will be dropping a line at Welland international Flatwater Centre Saturday for the Welland Rose Festival children’s fishing derby. In addition to shoreline and fishing platform spots, this year’s derby sees the addition of canoes, kayaks and small non-motorized craft to enhance the fishing experience.
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(19/06/2021) A Niagara Call for Pan Am Volunteers
For Gabriela Hernandez, this volunteer experience could rival the thrill of competition. Giving time to help next year’s Pan Am/Parapan Am Games is an exciting proposition for Hernandez, a St. Catharines resident and international student from Mexico.
Read Article »
(14/06/2021) Raycroft Opens IlluminAqua Concert Series
Jordan Raycroft and his band rocked the IlluminAqua stage for the opening show of the summer concert series held at the Merritt Park Amphitheatre. Raycroft, a Centennial Secondary School graduate, and his band were nominated for a Juno award for their Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the year.
Read Article »
(14/06/2021) Second 'Art Canoe' Unveiled
Artists James Takeo and Chris Lagesten unveiled their freshly-painted canoe at Friday's IlluminAqua concert at Merritt Park. The canoe, the second created so far, features a street-art themed image of the Main Street Bridge. It's part of a city initiative called the Canoe Art Project to promote the recreational waterway and the next summer's Pan Am Games.
Read Article »
(14/06/2021) Recreational Canal Helped Make a Dream Come True Olympic Medallist
Welland's recreational canal feels like home to Mark Oldershaw. As the son of Scott Oldershaw and grandson of Bert Oldershaw &mdash both Olympic canoeists &mdash competing at the Olympic level was an early dream for the Burlington native. Eventually he made that dream come true, winning bronze at the 2012 Olympics in London. Welland's recreational waterway played a big part in his success.
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(07/06/2021) Dragons Unleashed on Waterway
Dig Deep. Paddle Hard. Have fun. Those seemed to be the words most lived by Saturday at the 13th annual Welland Dragon Boat Festival
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(05/06/2021) World Junior Canoe Championships Named Niagara's Top Sports Event in 2013
Last summer Welland welcomed the world and this week the city was thanked by the Niagara Sport Commission for being the most hospitable of hosts.The 2013 International Canoe Federation Junior and Under-23 Canoe Sprint World Championships, held at the Welland International Flatwater Centre’s north course, was recognized as the region’s sport event of the year at the second annual Sport Niagara Awards Breakfast.
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(13/05/2021) Canoe Art Project Brings Art, Water Together
The Welland Recreational Canal Corporation and the Welland Arts and Culture Advisory Committee are partnering together to create a spectacular and artistic legacy for the City of Welland through the Canoe Art Project.
Read Article »
(08/05/2021) Streamline visitor vistas for PanAm Games, Region says
With Canada's ranking as a tourism destination taking a big slide in the last decade, regional politicians are calling on the federal government to streamline visa processing for visitors from emerging world markets intime for the 2015 Toronto PanAm Games.
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(08/05/2021) WIFC turns a profit in 2013
All that activity on the recreational canal may be worth a few bucks after all. On Tuesday night the Welland Recreational Canal Corporation (WRCC) delivered its 2013 financials to council reporting a $27, 154 operating surplus for the Welland International Flatwater Centre (WIFC) for 2013 thanks to the addition of three national level events in that year.
Read Article »
(08/05/2021) Canoe Niagara netted $12 M -report
Niagara's economy received an infusion of more than $12 million as host of the International Canoe Federation's World Junio Championships in August according to a Canadian Sports Tourism Alliance report.
Read Article »
(07/05/2021) The City of Welland
"The Rose City" has a great deal to offer reidents and entrepreneurs alike. Welland is one of the best places to live in Canada. Surprised? Wellm you shouldn't be. Wih all the new building developments and ob opportunities going on in recent years, The Rose City is quickly making a name for itself as the 'go-to' community in Niagara.
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(08/05/2021) Busy 2014 on tap on waterway
It promises to be an extremely busy summer on the Welland International Flatwater Centre (WIFC). The Welland Recreational Canal Corp. (WRCC) is expecting at least 11,175 participants in 34 events planned for the former canal from now until October 21.
Read Article »
(24/04/2021) Training Tank Opens to Praise
The weather outside might have been brisk, but it was more than balmy in the tank at the Welland International Flatwater Centre. Last Wednesday the WIFC celebrated the long-awaited opening of its indoor paddle tank with a sneak peak of its capabilities after construction setbacks delayed its planned fall 2013 opening.
Read Article »
(17/04/2021) Community Participation Needed in Dragon Boat Festival
It's an opportunity to ride a dragon. Businesses, organizations, and individuals are invited to enter teams in the 13th annual Welland Dragon Boat Festival, pitting their skills against each other, as well as teams from throughout Ontario and as far away as Quebec
Read Article »
(16/04/2021) No End to Training
Flatwater sports organizations hope the new nearly $500,000 multi-sport indoor training flume will help them achieve one common goal &mdash Olympic gold.The new training facility was unveiled Wednesday at the Welland International Flatwater Centre, allowing athletes to hone their skills year-round.
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(09/04/2021) 2015 Pan Am Games and Pan American Games Needs More Than 20, 000 Volunteers
TO2015, the organizers of the 17th Pan American Games taking place next summer across southern Ontario, including Welland and St. Catharines, has started recruiting an army of more than 20,000 volunteers.
Read Article »
(02/04/2021) Welland Scores 2018 World Canoe Polo Championships
Canoe polo, a full-contact sport that features a basketball-like net with all the thrills and spills of lacrosse on water, is coming to Welland-along with upwards of 3,500 visitors and their tourist dollars.
Read Article »
(28/03/2021) Concert Series Lineup Illuminated
Fire and water will once again dance together, albeit to a new set of tunes.
Read Article »
(27/03/2021) JUNO Nominnee will Kick-off IlluminAqua Concert Series
Jordan Raycroft recalled riding his bike past Merritt Park to see the IlluminAqua stage not long after it was built.
"I was thinking, 'Man, I would love to play here one day,'" he said. Now, that dream is coming true for the 22-year-old Pelham man. Read Article »
(27/03/2021) IlluminAqua 2014
Check out this video featured in the March Source stories Watch Video »
(28/02/2021) Community Pride Celebrated at WIFC
It's community pride that inspires people to get involved, said Tom Bacolini.
And an army of people showed their pride in Welland last year when they volunteered their time and skills to show off their city to the world, added Bacolini, the Welland Recreational Canal Corp board chairman. Read Article »
(5/02/2021) WRCC's Malher Recognized For Service
After nearly a decade dedicated to enhancing Welland's Waterway, Bob Mahler is moving on. Malher, who spent nine years serving on Welland Recreational Canal Corp. and five years as its as chairman, was recognized at Tuesday's city council meeting for his commitment to the organization. Read Article »
(30/12/2020) The Top Local News Stories of 2013
The city’s newest sports venue, a $10-million project needed for the 2015 Pan Am Games, opened in time for the 2013 International Canoe Federation Junior and Under 23 Canoe Sprint World Championships. Read Article »
(29/12/2020) 2013 Sports Year in Review - The Canoeing World Comes to Welland
Aug. 1 – Welland welcomes the world as the 2013 International Canoe Federation Junior and Under-23 Sprint Canoe World Championships get underway at the Welland International Flatwater Centre’s north course. Read Article »
(09/2013) Dedication and Passion Makes for True Success
Early August in Welland, Ontario, while young paddlers from around the world were competing in one of their first big international regattas, I wasn't able to reflect on what the event really meant. Staring at a TV screen all day, every day, I wasn't able to zoom out and take a wide-angled look at how amazing the whole thing was. Read Article (see page 9)
(01/09/2021) IlluminAqua Presents: Bowfire!
Bowfire returned to Welland Friday with some new faces on board, appearing at IlluminAqua’s Celtic Festival, running through the first two nights of the Labour Day weekend. New to IlluminAqua’s Welland stage were Miranda Mulholland, Julie Fitzgerald and Yi-Jia-Hou, all contributing stunning performances to an already sizzling and passionate concert Bowfire delivers everytime they perform. Read Article »
(01/09/2021) IlluminAqua Ready to Rock this Weekend
This weekend’s rock festival portion of the concert series continues at 8 p.m. with New Kid in Town opening for Burlington rock singer Bel. She said this is the first time she has had the opportunity to headline a show or festival. Read Article »
(29/08/2021) Cory Cruise Opening for Bowfire at IlluminAqua
When Cory Cruise closes his eyes and strums his guitar on stage, he says, it’s almost like he’s not there anymore &mdash it’s like he’s floating. There’s nothing like (being on stage),” he says. “It’s my happy place. It’s where I’m nervous, but most comfortable, too.” Read Article »
(04/08/2021) Canada Hauls 6 Medals on Home Water at U23 and Junior World Championships
Canada closed out the 2013 ICF Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships on home water at the Welland International Flatwater Centre with six medals – the third biggest haul of any of the 63 competing countries. Russia had the most medals with 18 and Hungary followed in second with 17 medals. Read Article »
(07/05/2021) Bullet News Niagara - Stormwatch: The Impact of Sport Tourism in Niagara
In this edition of Stormwatch, John Storm speaks with Stephen Fischer from the Welland International Flatwater Centre and its impact on the sport tourism industry in the region. Watch Video»
(30/05/2021) A Letter From Business Leads Niagara
Niagara has many people who THINK they know a lot about Niagara. Stephen Fischer stands apart from that crowd. As the Executive Director of the Welland International Flatwater Centre, Stephen is often sought out by leaders to share his vision of his city and the rest of Niagara. Read Article »
(20/05/2021) Welland Blues Festival Rocks Floating Stage
Rose City residents celebrated the first long weekend of summer with the blues. Welland Recreational Canal Corp. (WRCC) kicked off the IlluminAqua season with the a blues festival with the Downchild Blues Band headlining on the floating stage Saturday night. Read Article and Watch Video »
(08/05/2021) PenFinancial Credit Union and WRCC Continue to Grow our Community Together
WELLAND, Ontario – The Welland Recreational Canal Corporation (WRCC) is pleased to announce the naming rights of the North Welland Flatwater Community Centre have been awarded to the PenFinancial Credit Union. Now officially called the PenFinancial Credit Union Flatwater Community Centre, the PenFinancial Credit Union will provide $50,000 over the next five years specifically for Community Program Support for those groups currently operating out of the Flatwater Community Centre. Read Article »
Click here to view Cogeco News Coverage of the announcement!
(18/05/2021) ArtFest Pairing with IlluminAqua
Just as wine pairs with cheese, music does with art. And Welland Recreational Canal Corp. wants to bring that perfect pairing to the Rose City. Read Article »
(05/04/2021) National Kayakers Hit Welland Recreational
The Canadian national men's kayak team spent the past week preparing for selection trials in Welland on the north course of the Welland recreational canal ...
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