Spring 2019 Newsletter: 

Hi , the AWA is pleased to provide a spring newsletter to get you pumped up for this years paddling in Alberta. Special thanks to Philip Ellsworth, Lori Davis, and Joël Gervais for their contributions to this newsletter. If you have any questions, or are interested in writing an article for the AWA fall newsletter, or want us to address any specific issues please contact us at communications@albertawhitewater.ca.

New Paddling Club: Wood Buffalo Paddling Society

by Philip Ellsworth, Club President

WBPS plans to attend many of the paddling festivals in western Canada, and is looking forward to local club trips around Fort McMurray on the McKay, Hangingstone, Ells, Muskeg, and Christina Rivers, and hitting up big water at the Grande Rapids (Athabasca River), and Whitemud Falls (Clearwater River).  The society has invested in a starter fleet of kayaks for you to try out; sign up for this great club here. Memberships are available for individuals and families and includes a number of great benefits.

3 Rivers Rendevous: The best place to spend May Long

Events: 2019 Festivals

Courses: 2019 NCCP Courses

Education: Expanding our Schools and Pools Program

The Alberta Whitewater Association School in Pools program improves physical literacy skills and teaches paddle sports safety through kayaking instruction in municipal aquatic facilities. With the help of the Make-a-Diff grant, the AWA SinP program has been busy travelling throughout Alberta establishing kayaking programs for school children and communities in rural areas. This program exposes participants to fundamental physical skills they will be able to enjoy and build on for life. We are looking to source gear for the communities involved and looking for river runner kayaks (primarily Jackson Fun and Wavesport Fuse series) in all sizes from children to large adult. If you have a boat or paddle you would like to donate or sell please contact our Executive Director (Chuck Lee) at 403-628-2336.

SinP recently presented at the Alberta Association for Aquatic Professionals, a provincial organization that supports aquatic industry professionals and facilities. By presenting at their regional meetings we were able to address their broader concerns around managing pool kayaking safety, address skepticism around pool or tile damage and give the meeting attendees (all decision makers in pools around the province) a better understanding of kayaking program logistics in their facilities. We also were able to highlight the 2017 Alberta Recreation Survey results that clearly show the popularity of paddle sports and the opportunities for communities and organizations to capitalize on that. The presentation was well received, there were many opportunities to address questions and concerns and interest in our program abounded. The North Regional Aquatics Manager and Programmers meeting was on Friday, May 3rd. SinP was again there to help make our presence more of a reality in the northern communities of the province.

Since our last newsletter, the SinP program has added 6 new rural new communities to our growing list of participants: Grande Cache, Athabasca Landing, Taber, Ponoka, Sylvan Lake and Lacombe. Nanton and Rimbey are both soon to come. If you are interested in becoming a SinPs program sponsor, please contact us at communications@ albertawhitewater.ca. 

Trip Leaders: Transport Canada Regulations

If you are guiding or leading on a river (including teaching a course, guiding, or acting as a leader in a paid or volunteer capacity Transport Canada requires you to carry a first aid kit including:

• an up-to-date first aid manual or up-to-date first aid instructions, in English and French,
• 48 doses of analgesic medication of a non-narcotic type,
• six safety pins or one roll of adhesive first aid tape,
• one pair of bandage scissors or safety scissors,<
• one resuscitation face shield,
• two pairs of examination gloves,
• 10 applications of antiseptic preparations,
• 12 applications of burn preparations,
• 20 adhesive plasters in assorted sizes,
• 10 sterile compression bandages in assorted sizes,
• 4 m of elastic bandage,
• two sterile gauze compresses,
• two triangular bandages, and
• a waterproof list of the contents, in English and French

From Transport Canada Section 8.1.

In addition every person must have a PFD, a 15 m throw bag, a manual bailer or bilge pump, a whistle, a flashlight after dark, and a helmet for whitewater over Class 2. In addition it is the responsiblity of the trip leader to ensure everything is tied down and secured in boats.

"If the water temperature is less than 15ºC, a person responsible for an enterprise that conducts guided excursions and the leader of a guided excursion shall ensure that equipment is immediately available or that procedures are established to protect the participants from the effects of hypothermia or cold shock resulting from swamping, capsizing or falling overboard.

A person responsible for an enterprise that conducts guided excursions and the leader of a guided excursion shall, before the beginning of the excursion, ensure that all participants are briefed in either or both official languages, according to their needs, on the safety and emergency procedures relevant to the guided excursion.

The leader of a guided excursion shall, before the beginning of the excursion, report the number of participants in the excursion to a person on shore who has been designated by the leader to be responsible for communicating with search and rescue authorities in case of an emergency.

If the guided excursion takes place in a remote area and it is not possible to report the number of participants to a person on shore, the leader of the excursion shall leave a record of the number of participants and the area of operation in a known location on shore that is accessible to search and rescue authorities."

From Transport Canada Section 303 to 305.

Outreach: Actively lobbying Transport Canada

Last year we started a conversation with Transport Canada regarding regulations requiring whitewater paddlers to carry bailers and rescue ropes for beginner paddling courses. This clearly poses a safety concern and Paddle Canada supported our position that TC regulations need to be changed. Paddle Canada presented on our behalf at TC annual meeting and the presentation was well received by government and boating stakeholders.  Hopefully we will see some changes that will bring the regulations in compliance with standard practices.

Seeking Volunteers: 2019 Casino

The AWA's next fundraising casino is scheduled for Saturday/Sunday, August 3-4, 2019 at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary. Casinos generate around $65,000 every 21 months ($40,000 per year) that supports our programs including Schools in Pools and Alberta Summer Games and the development of facilities (Canoe Meadows).

We need to fill 36 shifts over 2 days at the casino. Shifts run from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, 6:45 pm to 3:45 am, and Count Room shifts run from 11:00 pm to 3:45 am. Please register here.

Meals are provided, and mileage compensation and a hotel room is available for people coming from out-of-town. Each person that volunteers for a shift earns a $100 credit for their club or their competitive canoe/kayak discipline. Your assistance in helping us to run the casino is essential for the financial future of the AWA and the programs and activities that we are running. The Deerfoot Inn is located at 11500 - 35 Street SE, Calgary just off Barlow Trail and Deerfoot in the deep south quadrant.

Thank you for volunteering.

We are Hiring: Kayak Coaches / Instructors 

The Alberta Whitewater Association and our clubs run youth kayak programs throughout Alberta, including Grande Prairie, Jasper, Edmonton, Sundre, Innisfail, Calgary, Canmore & Pincher Creek.

We are seeking 10 coaches/instructors with a combination of kayak skills, youth programs and coaching background. The Summer Kayak Coach/Instructor will help deliver the youth kayak program, including Novice and Intermediate - junior and adult instruction, Elite Junior Coaching, summer kayak daycamps, provincial training camps. Duties include one-on-one instruction and coaching.

Qualifications include an NCCP River Kayak Instructor 2 or equivalent, with a background in competition and youth programming. Excellent technical skills, communication abilities and paddling experience are required.  First Aid, CPR and Swiftwater Rescue are required. Some training will be available to upgrade weaker areas.

These positions have a flexible start from May 1 to June 30 and run to Sept 2. Rate of pay is $17.50 - $23.00/hr depending on qualifications and experience.

Please send your resume to:

Chuck Lee
Alberta Whitewater Association
Box 162, Lundbreck, AB, T0K 1H0
admin@albertawhitewater.ca
403-628-2336

Alberta Slalom Canoe/Kayak: Spring Updates

by Michael Holroyd, Head Coach / Sport Development Director

New Paddling Society: BC Whitewater

BC Whitewater is a new non-profit whose goal is to provide a unified voice for whitewater paddlers in British Columbia, advocating for publicly accessible, free flowing rivers and speaking in support of river conservation. Having just launched their new website, they are now fully operational and accepting members and volunteers.Their webpage has merged with the online guidebook LiquidLore.com, providing you with descriptions to 70 runs within BC. They are looking to build our BCWW community by asking you to become a member for no cost if you have ever paddled or hope to paddle in BC.

Paddling Maps

Looking for a new river to paddle? Check out paddlingmaps.com where you can enter a new trip, and see other trips info (put ins, takes outs, and notes on the run itself).

Bow River Access Plan

Development of the Bow River Access Plan started in Spring 2017. The final plan incorporates feedback from stakeholders, the public, First Nations and Métis through targeted stakeholder meetings and online surveys. Concerns over environmental impacts were considered and addressed. Feedback captured through consultation and engagement was critical to the development of the final plan. To view the final version of the Bow River Access Plan visit www.talkaep.alberta.ca/bow-river-access-plan.

Protection: Equipment Decontamination

Whirling disease has been confirmed in numerous waterbodies across Central and Southern Alberta. Whirling disease affects trout and whitefish and has the potential to decimate Alberta’s fisheries. As river enthusiasts it is important that we take measures to stop the spread of whirling disease and other aquatic invasive species where we work and play. Equipment that we use in aquatic settings should be cleaned and disinfected after each use to reduce the risk of spreading the aquatic invasive species. If equipment is used in different waterbodies and cannot be adequately dried and disinfected, or there is insufficient drying time between uses, equipment (including dry tops, dry suits, paddles, skirts, and kayaks) should be disinfected. This practice is especially important for those of us that paddle in multiple rivers in a weekend and don’t have the opportunity to dry equipment in between uses. Alberta Environment and Parks currently recommend that PFD's, dry suits, lifejackets, survival suits, and throw bags are disinfected using a QUAT spray or QUAT submersion technique. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUAT) are common cleaning agents and are safe for most equipment and gear. Submersible items should be submerged for 10 minutes in a 1500 ppm solution of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUAT), whereas non-submersible items should be sprayed (and wiped) with a 3000 ppm solution and kept damp for 10 minutes. More information can be found here.

Membership: Renew your AWA membership

Please remember to renew your membership if you do not already pay through your club.  Without your membership the AWA's ability to speak on behalf of Alberta's paddlers and for our rivers is limited. Your membership strengthens our ability to speak out for our sport. 

Your membership includes these benefits: 

• Coverage by AWA liability insurance at AWA sanctioned events such as 3 Rivers Rendezvous, Grande Cache Rendezvous, Slave River Festival, Kanfest, Alberta Cup slalom races, Provincial WW Champsionships, Alberta Summer Games, and other events
• NCCP training and accreditation for kayak leaders, instructors and coaches
• Swiftwater Rescue training for paddlers
• Summer Club Kayak Coach/Instructor Support Program
• Alberta Parks guiding permit for AWA clubs ($250 value if taken out directly)
• The opportunity to participate in Alberta Summer Games for children ages 11-17
• The opportunity to participate in Canadian National Slalom, Freestyle, Wildwater and Canoe Polo competitions - including National Championships, National Team Trials and International races
• Passport for Paddlesport cards and posters
• Priority booking of the Canoe Meadows Campground on the Kananaskis River
  

By working together we acheive these benefits to paddling in the Province:

• Development of whitewater facilities such as Canoe Meadows, the lower Kananaskis River, the Harvie Passage WW park in Calgary, Boulder Run in southern Alberta and other community based paddling centres.
• Protection of rivers and access points such as upper Red Deer River, Ghost Dam road, upper St Mary's River, Slave River, Bow River in Calgary.
• Hosting and support of paddling events and festivals such as Sundre Paddlefest, Provincial WW Championships, 3 Rivers Rendezvous, Alberta Cup slalom races, Alberta Freestyle competitions.
• Protection of your rights to paddle without undue government interference or regulation such as the Transport Canada's boat registration, City of Calgary water closures, or other actions.
• Alberta representation at CanoeKayak Canada Whitewater meetings and the ICF and development of new national programs

 Renew your membership today by clicking the below button: