After Sunday鈥檚 open house, the Fort Canoe and Kayak Club is a little less of a secret.

Based out of the paddle sport dock on the Bedford Channel, the club bills itself online as 鈥渢he best kept secret in Fort 91原创.鈥�

On Sunday, July 23, anyone who dropped by between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. could paddle the river for free, trying out recreational and sprint canoes and kayaks, experiencing surfski, stand-up paddle boarding and more.

It was the first club open house since 2019 and the weather was perfect, sunny and warm.

More than 100 people attended.

The event was jointly organized with Canoe Kayak B.C., the provincial sport organization for paddle sports, and viaSport British Columbia.

Canoe sprint competitor Jeffrey Sun was among the club members on hand to provide expert guidance.

鈥淜ayaking is a really beautiful sport,鈥� Sun enthused.

鈥淵ou get to be out there in nature, on the water, enjoying the sunshine and everything, and I think it鈥檚 just a really wonderful experience.鈥�

Club Commodore Sandra Young said many 91原创 residents aren鈥檛 aware there are 鈥渆xcellent opportunities to take up paddle sports right here in Fort 91原创鈥� learning from a club that 鈥渙ffers world-class coaching.鈥�

Last year, club members had podium finishes at three tournaments, the Canada Summer Games, Sprint National Championships and B.C. Summer Games.

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This year, Dimitri Joukovski became the new head coach of the club.

A Canadian sprint canoer, Joukovsi paddled on the Canadian national team for eight years, winning three silver medals at the Canoe Sprint World Championships and two golds at the Pan American championships.

Fort Canoe and Kayak Club offers recreational and competitive programs for youth and adults, operating from the paddlesport dock on the Bedford Channel in Fort 91原创, located on Billy Brown Road, just west of Glover Road behind the Fort Pub.

Online, the club can be reached at or at the 鈥�.

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