Getting to Know the Burnstown Rowing Club
To honour the history, dedication and current initiatives of each rowing community, Row Ontario will be producing a series of profiles on member clubs across Ontario. Today we get to know more about the Burnstown Rowing Club!
Burnstown Rowing Club
Established: 1988
Location: Burnstown, Ont.
http://burnstownrowing.ca/
Located in a region with a rich history in rowing, the Burnstown Rowing Club is headquartered in the Township of McNab/Braeside and located on the Madawaska River in Burnstown, Ont.
However, the club first got its start about 20km away from its current location. In 1985, the Ottawa Valley Rowing Club was born on the Bonnechere River in Renfrew, Ont. After three years in operation, the club moved south-east to Burnstown in September 1988 and the club was aptly re-named the Burnstown Rowing Club.
Since the beginning, the club has been focused on primarily sculling, though they do have a sweep four among their rowing fleet. While some of the members have their own boats the club offers four doubles, six singles, and several recreational boats they use for their learn-to-row programs. They typically run a limited learn-to-row program each year to encourage new members, with the participants receiving five free lessons as part of their membership fee during their first year at the club.
Rowers start off in a recreational single, with each lesson lasting approximately an hour and are provided by one of the club’s certified rowing instructors. The lessons typically start near the end of May or early June once the water is warm enough, and after completion rowers continue to learn at their own pace until they have improved enough to row in one of the more advanced club sculls.
The club stores their boats in the ‘Lee Narraway Boathouse’, which was named after the founder and first President of the club. The boathouse is a short distance away from the water where they launch off a dock upstream of the Burnstown Beach. A small, recreational club at its core, the club has approximately 40 members each year, with its members embodying the fitness and recreational aspects of rowing. They primarily come to the club to enjoy a relaxed atmosphere while getting in some exercise and enjoying the sights on the Madawaska River.
In addition to the programs they run, the club also organizes the ‘Head of the Madawaska’. They’ve organized the annual head race on the Sunday after Labour Day weekend every year for the past 20 years, except for the last two which were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has become a popular event for rowers across Eastern Ontario because of the picturesque setting, a wonderful river to row on, and the relaxed atmosphere.
The small head race is by invitation-only, with rowers coming from neighbouring clubs such as the Ottawa New Edinburgh Club, Ottawa Rowing club, as well as the communities such as Belleville, Kingston and Deep River on occasion. The race attracts some high-level masters rowers but is intended as a recreational event. No prizes are awarded, the participants are there for the enjoyment of the sport and their fellow rowers.
Thank you to Mark Robson for his generous contributions and help in completing this profile. Photos are property of the Burnstown Rowing Club.
