The glass-like water, nature all around you and simply beautiful environment can make for an enjoyable time for someone just out for a solo trip or a family-wide excursion.
The Moose Jaw Canoe and Kayak Club hopes more people will take the opportunity to find that out for themselves in the near future after officially opening for the season on Sunday afternoon.
“We accept memberships through the entire year, but this is a chance for our members to get together and officially get out on the water, as well as welcome brand-new members,” said club president Kevin Pilsworth as a steady run of patrons made their way to the docks and took advantage of the near perfect conditions to take to the water.
“There’s lots of interest again this year, we’re just really excited that we had some nice weather,’ he added with a laugh. “But there are lots of new members signing up and some old members coming out and that’s always great to see.”
The club membership currently floats around 50 to 150 members, ranging in age and experience from young families just taking up the sport to seniors who have been canoeing and kayaking the river for years. Then there’s their work with community groups and schools, with coach Mark Gilliland and other instructors conducting clinics and demonstrations for various organizations throughout the warm-weather months.
“It’s just doing what we can to get as many people out on the water every year,” Pilsworth said.
The club is located in the Wakamow Valley campground across the road from the speedskating oval and across the river from the Burger Cabin. They have a selection of canoes and kayaks for members to use, depending on availability.
A major part of their ongoing success is the continued support and sponsorship from ACT/UCT, whose support enables the club to offer their services to anyone interested in trying out the sport – regardless of background or financial position.
“They help us out an incredible amount, and it’s important for us because we will not allow financial hardship to be a barrier to our club,” Pilsworth said. “They’re our partners and they’re committed to make sure that the youth of Moose Jaw have a chance to come out and experience something like this.”
Prospective members or anyone looking for more information can check out their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MJCKC/, find the necessary forms at www.mjpaddle.ca, or simply drop in at the storage facility in Wakamow Valley.
