Page 4 - July/August Kwasind

Chris Mitchele
Commodore chrismitchele@gmail.com
Another sailing season began again on May 19th and although the day started with a little bit of rain, it was a far cry from the flood water with which we had to contend last year! Although our spring weather offered up challenges, many Members worked long and hard to ready their vessels for this important day where we open our Club for the season. This year Sailpast also offered the added excitement of seeing our newly renovated Clubhouse for the first time. Thank you to Members for participating on the water; and thanks to all the teams and their tireless efforts to get the Club prepared so that we were able to enjoy the day.
On June 1st, we celebrated the Official Grand Opening of the newly renovated Island Clubhouse. As you know, our Clubhouse, completed in 1922, needed some significant attention. In accommodating the needs of a diverse and active Membership and providing a proper place for us all to convene, it was time to proceed with a renovation. In addition to strengthening infrastructure that cannot be readily seen, we now have a bar with the best skyline view in the City; a lift to assist Members in getting to and from the second floor; updated washrooms and refreshed spaces to enjoy the camaraderie and community offered by your Membership.
From the start of the Cornerstone Project we promised that it was an initiative that would progress the Club beyond narrow interests, and to recommit, as those who went before us did with pride, to renewal and to the restoration of our properties.
ButtheClub’sassetsaremorethanthebuildingswhere we assemble as a community, and the honour, prestige and reputation that we have built span farther than Toronto’s Harbour. At Sailpast and again at our Grand Opening I was able to also share the following news:
• With that, through the focus and determination of our Youth Committee, the RCYC Race Team is about to achieve a few of its major goals - 2 years early! I am thrilled to announce that two of our RCYC Race Team Members have qualified for this year’s Youth World Championship in Corpus Christie Texas in July! Congratulations to Will Bonin and Tate Howell.
• I am also pleased to share that two of RCYC’s Race Team Members have made the Canadian Sailing Team’s Development Team: Congratulations to
Noah Collinson and Mariah Millen. Noah and Mariah join fellow RCYC and current National Team members: Brenda Bowskill, Robert Davis, Tom Ramshaw.
This is an amazing accomplishment for all of you and for the RCYC. It is also a fantastic example that when the right focus is put on the right things, excellence can happen.
All of our National Team athletes need financial support. If you are interested in donating, please visit: www. windathletes.ca/donate or contact Dan Cunningham at dan.cunningham@rcyc.ca to donate through the RCYC Athlete Development Fund (ADF).
As for other Club sailing news, the VX One Fleet is now in their new home west of the Annex, which opened up room to do a full re-organization and ‘clean up’ of the dinghy dock area. We held the annualSharkTrilliumRegattawhichonceagainsawa strong showing from RCYC with Peter Aker from BQYC emerging as the winner. In early June we hosted the second annual Warrior Sailing Camp with twelve participants. And of course, we look forward to the Youth Nationals from August 24th – 31st. Please reach out to brennen.guy@rcyc.ca for more information or to volunteer as shore crew.
As we all enjoy our time on the Island and our newly renovated spaces I do want to remind Members that work will continue over the summer. As relayed before, the City Clubhouse Bistro will see improvements to the acoustics and lighting. We are also compiling the ‘deficiency’ list for the Island. We ask Members to relay any observations to us, so we can ensure they are addressed, and thank you in advance for your patience as we work through this process.
We have facilities to be proud of. We are raising the bar on our own sailing program within the harbour, the country and on the world stage. I look forward to sharing more details on how the Club will continue to be a leader in building and supporting the sport of sailing for many years to come, culminating one day on an Olympic Podium.
For now, let’s celebrate all that we have to be proud of, and enjoy the benefits of what the RCYC has to offer.
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JULY/AUGUST 2018 • KWASIND
COMMODORE MESSAGE