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Join us for a day of celebrating the Great River Project and World Rivers Day on Sunday, September 25, 2011

In celebration of World Rivers Day and to launch the fifth and final segment of the Great River Project, Ottawa Riverkeeper would like to invite you to attend and participate in Paddles Up! With Ottawa Riverkeeper. This event will be taking place on Victoria Island in Ottawa on Sunday, September 25th from 11:30 AM to approximately 4:00 PM.  The event will begin at the Aboriginal Experiences site on the island.

This will be an unforgettable day of meeting new people and sharing your stories and experiences of the Ottawa River. Riverkeeper Meredith Brown, along with experts on topics ranging from fisheries to the history of the river and First Nation presence in the watershed will be on hand to answer all of your questions about the River. If you would like to bring your children to this event, we will be organizing some fun activities, including learning how to build your own water filter! Lunch will be available for purchase from Aboriginal Experiences, and complimentary coffee and tea will be provided courtesy of Bridgehead.

Bring your canoe or kayak and paddle with us in a flotilla from Victoria Island to Kettle Island, where we will wish the Great River Project team good luck and see them off on their way to Montreal.  Don’t have your own boat?  We will have a limited number of seats in 8-12 person Voyageur canoes available by reservation only (for details on how to reserve your spot, see below).

The event will start at 11:30 AM and the flotilla will be departing at 1:30 PM. The flotilla will return at approximately 4:00 PM to Victoria Island.

Celebrate World Rivers Day in a unique and educational way – bring your family and friends, learn and share your thoughts about the Ottawa River and paddle past Parliament along one of the most famous stretches of the Ottawa River. Hop in a voyageur canoe or bring your own boat!

REGISTRATION FOR A SEAT IN THE VOYAGEUR CANOES IS NOW OPEN

Sign up now to reserve your seat in a Voyageur canoe! The cost is $10 per person. To register for your spot, please send an email to info@ottawariverkeeper.ca with your name and the number of spots that you would like to reserve. Seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

No registration is necessary if you have your own boat, and help will be available on site to carry canoes and kayaks to and from your vehicles. Please note that everyone participating in this event MUST have a personal flotation device, so please bring your PFD along with your boat.

We sincerely hope that you will be able to join us for this wonderful celebration of the river, and look forward to seeing you there!