Dragon Boat West

This arrived in my e-mail today...I post it for others to respond to as they see fit

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Dear Paddlers, Participants & Supporters;

In a move that came as a complete surprise to our organization, the City of Calgary has revoked the Alberta Dragon Boat Race Foundation (ADBRF) License of Occupation, our User Group Status, and has requested that we remove our assets from the North Glenmore Park. As this is our 17th year of operation, we are appealing this decision with the Calgary Aldermen and are requesting an audit of the process used to reach this decision. We were in long term (4 years) negotiations in reference to our License of Occupation and we feel that the decision was biased. This is based on the fact that some special interest groups and other participants involved in dragon boat festivals had influence on the outcome; this includes officials with the City of Calgary Parks and Recreation.

The ADBRF has recently been made aware that the City of Calgary will be hosting discussions for the purpose of hosting a smaller dragon boat event. This was never presented to the ADBRF as an option, and to our knowledge we will not be included in those discussions.

The ADBRF remains a strong foundation with event plans for the 2008 racing season and is working to further dragon boating in Western Canada. We find it disappointing that due to the actions of the City of Calgary, we are unable to provide practice sessions utilizing the foundations boats to our paddlers at the Glenmore Reservoir.

We are looking for the support of the Dragon Boat Community to contact the Alderman of ward # 11, Brian Pincott, and request that the ADBRF still have the ability to run the practice season with the ADBRF boats. Please send us a cc. of your support.

Brian Pincott
Alderman Offices
P.O. Box 2100, Stn. M,
Calgary, Alberta T2P 2M5

Or email: Brian Pincott Ward # 11
[email protected]

Sincerely
The Directors of Alberta Dragon Boat Race Foundation

Cc: Alderman Offices
Mayor Dave Bronconnier

yeah i got that too... what a shame. i hope there is some justifiable reason, though i struggle to think of what that might be

We're trying to figure this out right now. 

We need to find out more details before starting a full blown letter writing, telephone dialing, door knocking campaign.  No sense in just writing letters that make us look like another special interest group trying to get our way against other special interest groups.  Apparently there will be a meeting held sometime in March to discuss the issue - we're awaiting further details.

Officials slay dragon boats

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2008/02/27/4879578-sun.html

wow I had no idea things were so bad.  Can someone explain to me and others like me in simple terms what happened or is happening??  that would b great!

From what I understand (and I've only been in Calgary for under a year, so feel free to correct me) there has always been a major conflict between the city, the Canoe Club and the Alberta Dragonboat organization. There are some very "strange" conflicts that have been occuring over the years.

For those of you who have been to the Calgary Race, you are familiar with a building at the race site - This facility is not for dragonboaters, this building is used exclusivley by the Calgary Canoe Club (Calgary's FCRCC), which provides facilities for OC's, Rowing and Kayaks. Dragonboaters here are treated as a seperate entity, and are currently working out of a small Shipping container. The facilities here are even less than what you would find at DragonZone.

Remember, the Glenmore Resevoir where the Dragonboats are kept is technically the city water supply. That being said, there has been a maximum limit of 6 dragonboats on the water at any given time, with special exception given to the Calgary Festival. It's rumoured that some city officals don't like the idea of having this type of boat on the water, and from the article in the Calgary Sun, it sounds like they are worried about environmental impact. It's also been stated by some paddlers out here that things are getting very political in terms of who runs the festival and how the races are held.

It's unfortunate that this is taking place here, and there really isn't anything nearby that we can relocate to. Let's all hope this turns out for the best...

I suspect the environmental impact could refer to all the people that are parking their cars on the grass.  Having a lot of people congregating in one area does cause an environmental impact.  Or the lack of washrooms in the area, other then the Canoe Club building. 

When I've been there for races there were portapotties. So the washroom issue may not be all that big. But as for other comments that have been brought up earlier does seem legitimate. I am unsure what we here in the Lower Mainland of Vancouver can do to persuade the City of Calgary but if someone has any ideas how then let us know! I know I enjoy the venue and it seems pretty consistent as far as racing venue is concerned with excellent lane markers and no water conditions (well except for wind maybe) such as currents is concerned. I hope it continues!

I was thinking about when the practices are run on the evenings and weekends, not only the festival, for the parking and washroom issues.  There are no facilities other then the shipping container and the Canoe Club washrooms.  Practices run from late May to mid-September.

Maybe it's time to start on online petition that can be sumitted.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=0ba471d1-5965-4ba2-94a5-5a75af7ec4a5

Hey there Special K you made the news last night.

They had old footage from 05 with Pac Reach.  You Paddleboy, Rob etc all in the beer gardens.   You a Star baby.

Pac Reach paddlers in the beer garden? Were we drinking??? How was my hair??? :Cheers:

 

Yup.

I think it was right before all the shirt swaping that year

A NEW ERA IN DRAGON BOATING FOR CALGARY!  APPLAUDING THE CITY OF CALGARY'S ACTIONS...

I think that there has been a lot of mis-information going on with respect to the City's move to unseat the ADBRF as the organizers of Calgary's Dragon Boat Races.

This move is seen by many of the stakeholders as a very positive step in the evolution of dragon boating in Calgary, as the ADBRF had ceased to represent many of the key stakeholders in a community-spirited way, and as identified by the city, mis-management of community safety issues and lack of insightful stewardship were rife. Governance of the organization had also been called under question on many occasions dating back to 2003, with several long-standing directors of the organization unilaterally voted off of the board by the current leadership (or that of the time), denying the organization of any sense of checks and balances with respect to issues such as potential conflict of interest, mis-use of assets, community benefit etc.

I would suggest that questions need to be asked of the ADBRF about the integrity of their board governance (most organizations would welcome scrutiny of this to protect their good name and objectives), use of assets for non-arms length "for profit" ventures, transparency of finances, inclusion of key stakeholders in the molding of the event etc.

I can very confidently state that in addition to the City of Calgary, many key stakeholders including some of the longest standing dragon boat clubs, the Chinese Community, the business community and the original founders of the event are ecstatic about the move by the city to protect the community interest and to usher in a new community-spirited era of Dragon Boating within the city of Calgary and region.

The news media has potentially portrayed the City as the bad guy, when in fact they should be lauded for their protection of community interests.  Oddly much of the coverage has been one-sided - controversy is news, a positive outcome from the controversy less so.  Rest assured, the paddlers and any potentially affected charities will benefit from the changes in the long
run.

"Paddles Up" as they say....and let's look forward to a bright and exciting future of the event and sport within the city of Calgary!  

An interesting perspective, Founder.
Tell me, when you talk of "insightful stewardship", "conflicts of interests" and lack of "checks and balances", does it bring back memories of the GW/RG days of Calgary dragonboating?
I'm wondering now who has the contacts in the city to push the non-profit ADBRF off of Glenmore Reservoir to clear the way for other alleged "key stakeholders" to take over this event.  I believe it will be clear when the city grants a license to run this years' event, who motivated this change and why it was done.
People in Calgary have long memories and recall the questionable shenanigans that went on when the aforementioned pair of carpetbaggers were running dragonboating in this city. 
And we will be damned if we will let them screw the paddlers over again.

This is really an unfortunate situation.  It sucks for the paddlers who just want to paddle.  Looks like there are 2 sides to this story, as usual, but is there anything that us paddlers can do?  Or is this just a waiting game?  Perhaps a meeting/gathering of paddlers to discuss the situation and our next move?

Founder, what are you talking about???  Please, enough with talking in riddles!  Where are you getting all this information?  Most paddlers could care less about politics and power, they just want to paddle, but now are feeling quite bewildered and helpless.  There's obviously been lot's of behind the scenes bickering going on, that on the surface, seems ridiculous and petty to the rest of us.  If you have some info to enlighten us, please share....in a way that everyone else can understand.

Well put Bolero! Only thing I'm getting from Founder's bright red text and fancy riddles is a bunch of bullying. So, if there's something more to what Founder is saying, I'd like to hear it. Take away all of the distractions and give it to us straight.

Hmmm...Looks like Founder doesn't really know anything, and is just blowing a lot of hot air.  Hopefully somewhere along the line we'll get some answers from somebody.

Yup.

Actually, having been a member of this community for a long time, I totally agree with Founder's statements.  I think it's about time someone started asking questions, and the move by the city is a good one that will only help out the paddling community in the end.  When you think about it, ADBRF is spending OUR money, wouldn't you want to know that it is being spent appropriately?  If they are doing nothing wrong, then why didn't they want an audit?  Would the City really go through all this trouble if they thought there really wasn't a problem?  And the fact that they are willing to work with paddlers OUTSIDE of ADBRF indicates to me they DO want dragonboating to continue in Calgary.  I for one am looking forward to hearing about the outcome of that meeting later this month.

To many veterans of this sport that I know, this move was really not a big surprise.  In fact, it was quite welcomed.  Perhaps it's time to get some fresh, independant blood in the ADBRF and start over.  Talk to your team captains, talk to other teams, talk to the City.  It's not too late to salvage this season, and bring the festival back to what its original mandate was 15 years ago - a CULTURAL festival.

Now I'm not really one to get into politics about anything, but there definitely seems to be a lot here. I have to say that if the ADBRF is one end of the spectrum then Founder is at the other end, and while maybe most of what he has to say may  have credibility, his deliver and noise that he makes, no one can hear him r wants to listen to him.
I support there being an independent 3rd party  who can tell the paddlers what exactly is going on.  I think most are uninformed and left in the dark.

Okay, Founder, I guess you stayed true to your promise - "yup" is technically not really a word.  Thank you Vet Paddler for shedding a bit of light on this, but I agree with Sweet Heat - we need more information to truly understand what is going on here.   Most people know already that there has been ongoing conflict between various parties, but we don't really know the details.  It would be nice to know what the ordinary person can do to help resolve this, and to get our festival back.   

To dedicated, passionate dragon boaters who just want a good, well-managed race, a community-spirited cultural Festival, and the opportunity to raise funds for various good causes:(And a say in how the event evolves going forward)

OK, firstly a quick apology for what may have been too many words to try to shed some light on an unfortunate situation. I am in communications, and brevity is not one of my long suits.

Secondly, OK...these ARE technically more words, but I hope they are helpful and meaningful.

Please be patient, appoint someone as a key point of contact for your team/club, be prepared to provide positive input, and wait for what I expect will be imminent good news.

I cannot say much more now, but I do suspect that a more inclusive, transparent organization will be the result...

It appears that the races for 2008 will be protected, but a more in depth organizational structure may take a bit longer to ensure appropriate representation and governance.

I hope this is adequate information for now that can be shared within your community of paddlers.

Seems like what the paddlers in Calgary have right now is an opportunity.

An opportunity to organize yourselves as a community.
An opportunity to help shape the future of dragon boating in Calgary.
An opportunity to work with (hopefully) a new, more open group to create a new and improved Calgary Festival.

Now, are you going to seize this opportunity, or just sit on the sidelines and let this pass you all by?

Warning: This is really really really long.

Just received this in my email last night.  To ensure a fair interpretation, this is obviously the ADBRF's view on events.


----
ALBERTA DRAGON BOAT RACE FOUNDATION
 
PO BOX 22416 • CALGARY, AB • T2P 5G7
PHONE: (403) 216-0145 • FAX: (403) 286-6810
 
Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Dear Paddlers, Participants & Supporters;

As you are aware, the Alberta Dragon Boat Race Foundation (ADBRF) has had its License of Occupation revoked and with it all practice sessions on the Glenmore Reservoir.  The City of Calgary has also taken away from the ADBRF the opportunity of running and operating the 2008 Calgary Dragon Boat Race & Festival.  According to the many newspaper, radio and television interviews, the opportunity is being brought forward to another group that the city had been in discussions with long before we were informed of this very unfortunate news. 

After we had sent out our last letter to inform everyone of this recent development, the amount of e-mails and letters of support for our organization has been overwhelming.  Besides getting many letters and e-mails of support, we have been getting inquiries as to how this could have happened.  The following is a synopsis of events that have taken place over the last 4 years.

Since the inception of the ADBRF in July of 1992, the premise of the Calgary race and festival was to have a Chinese cultural event with dragon boat racing as a central aspect of the festival.  At the beginning, there were few competitive teams that practiced more than three times prior to the races.  As time progressed, the event started to lose its appeal with just over forty teams registering in 2003.  This is approximately the time that the more established teams were asking for more practices and better race operations.  Complaints as to how teams were being treated and the lack of respect from some of the coaches were common occurrences.  It was prior to the 2004 event that the ADBRF went into high gear to improve all aspects of dragon boating in Calgary.

The early spring of 2003 was the first step towards the positive growth of dragon boating in the Calgary area since the inception of the event.  In the spring of 2003 we managed to convince the City of Calgary to increase the allowance of dragon boats for the purpose of practicing on the Glenmore Reservoir from 4 boats to 6 boats.  As per the letter from the city to the ADBRF confirming this expansion to our practice program, it was required in the letter of permission that the 2 additional boats fall under the directions and control of our society’s current agreement with the City of Calgary.  This expansion of the practice fleet allowed us to improve availability of practice times for all the teams wanting to participate in the Calgary Dragon Boat Races as well as other events throughout Alberta and any where else in the world.

It wasn’t until the fall of 2004 that the ADBRF approached the city to enter into a longer term ‘License of Occupation’ at the Calgary Reservoir.  The city was in agreement with this as long as this was done in conjunction with the renewal of the Calgary Canoe Club and Calgary Rowing Club leases.  The city wanted all three leases to be signed simultaneously so as to encourage a sharing of resources and assets.  One of the assets that was on the table to be shared was the Canoe & Rowing Club Building which met with resistance from both user groups as they claim that they were out of room, even though one of the floors of this building had been vacant due to mould for many years.  It was suggested by City of Calgary Recreation Department that all parties look at the architecture of the existing structure to figure out some modifications to allow everyone to live under one roof.  These initial discussions and negotiations didn’t seem to move along until it was suggested by the ADBRF to build their own storage/club house facility.  Our request to do so was in October of 2004.  This suggestion was put forward to both the Canoe and Rowing Clubs as an olive branch to move discussions along and prove to everyone that we did not have to be perceived as a threat.  The concept would allow the Canoe and Rowing Clubs, to not be disrupted and at the same time would allow the current finish line (made out of carcinogenic wood preservatives and in need of repair) to be rebuilt and integrated into an ADBRF facility.  This concept was accepted by the city and eventually allowed all parties to move forward with talks and a tentative agreement that was agreed upon in principal in the spring of 2006.  Unfortunately the person representing the Canoe & Rowing Clubs resigned for personal reasons prior to signing.  This is when new representatives of the Canoe and Rowing Clubs came forward and talks once again came to a grinding halt.  Please note that during this process more than $75,000.00 in costs had been incurred by the ADBRF to produce blueprints for a development permit from the City of Calgary, for our proposed structure.  These costs were incurred after we were given the go ahead (by the city) to apply for the development permit in 2005.  Not only were we given the go ahead in writing but it also included the statement that we would have our long term lease in place sometime in 2005.

The talks between all the user groups came to a halt when a former alderman of the area was invited to speak at a Calgary Canoe Club and Calgary Rowing Club meeting.  It was at this meeting when the governance of the ADBRF was put into question.  Just this insinuation alone delayed any lease negotiation process even further.  It wasn’t until we could provide proof from the ADBRF’s lawyer to the City of Calgary’s lawyer that we were adhering to proper governance that we were once again able to move forward with lease negotiations.  After this delay it was confirmed by the City of Calgary’s legal department that we had a clean bill of health and that we were conforming to all rules and regulations under the law.

When the tentative agreement to move forward with a long term lease with all three user groups and the City of Calgary fell apart in the spring of 2006, the city decided to assign someone to our file whose job was to try and bring all the parties back together.  This person met many times with all three user groups over the following year.  One of the exercises that each group had to submit to her was a statement of interest that outlined each user group’s position as we continued forward with talks.  These statements of interests were distributed to all three user groups so as to understand what each other’s position as the process continued.  This is when it was made clear to the ADBRF that the Calgary Canoe Club and the Calgary Rowing Club felt that dragon boating was not a compatible partner at the North Glenmore Park location.  As the city indicated that there was nowhere else for us to go, this could only be translated into not being compatible with the other user groups on the reservoir.  Even after being informed of the Canoe and Rowing Clubs caustic position, the ADBRF still went into a joint venture situation with the Canoe Club to move forward with the junior program.  This was once again an olive branch to demonstrate the ADBRF’s willingness to work with other user groups and show that the sharing of assets can work in everyone’s best interest.

After going nowhere for almost 5 months the ADBRF had become frustrated and made  an official request in October of 2006 for binding arbitration to bring all negotiations to completion.  At first the city did not want to hold any form of arbitration but eventually in March of 2007, the city coordinated mediation between all three user groups and the City of Calgary for an operational agreement for the 2007 season.  It was also the hope of the city that this document would be renewed and adopted as a long-standing agreement between all parties.  The mediation was successful and an agreement was signed on April 30, 2007 by all parties, as well as the City of Calgary.

A very disturbing situation also occurred in the late fall of 2006 that was brought to our attention in the spring of 2007.  This was when we found out that 2 special interest groups went behind the ADBRF’s back to break off 2 of our practice boats out from under our practice umbrella.  In any situation where you have a body of water that doesn’t have boat restrictions this would be inconsequential, but in a situation where the maximum number of dragon boats allowed on the reservoir is 6, this represents 1/3 of the practice fleet.  Since the end of the 2005 season, our administrators had been working diligently to put together a practice schedule that would give a level of fairness to all teams.  What was more disturbing then the 2 special interest groups trying to get their own user group status was that the city let them even though we have written confirmation that there would never be another user group (other then the ADBRF) representing dragon boating on the reservoir.  This was outlined earlier in this document.  Regardless of this lack of judgment on the city’s part, we continued to try and work with these special interest groups to maximize practice times and come up with an interim agreement that included the ADBRF being contacted monthly regarding their schedules so as to use their vacant practice slots.  The only problem with this deal that the city brokered was that the ADBRF would not be able to float 2 additional boats that would be used when the other 2 groups weren’t using theirs and nor was the ADBRF able to use the other 2 groups boats.  Once again the city was ineffective in solving a problem that they created.

Shortly after the mediation process, the city assigned an outside auditor to audit our 2006 books and once again do governance audit.  At the completion of this audit the outside auditor had a list of suggestions to improve our governance and prevent us from possible risks in the future.  Within weeks of receiving this report and the suggestions regarding our governance, the ADBRF implemented all the suggestions put forward by the outside auditor.  This is documented in the ADBRF minutes of June 11, 2007.  The ADBRF then forwarded this to the city as well as the outside auditor to seek everyone’s (city and outside auditor) approval.  The outside auditor sent us a letter on June 15, 2007 acknowledging the adoption of their recommendations and reiterated that their recommendations only pointed out possible future risks and that in no way did they insinuate impropriety.  It was also noted by the outside auditor that “many not-for-profit organizations have similar issues and as long as changes to policies and processes are implemented the risks to the organization will be considerably diminished’”.

During the 2007 year we were also dealing with the organization of the 2007 event.  For whatever reason, what had been an 8 page application in previous years had grown into over 160 pages.  Every time we made a submission we were asked for further information.  We completely understand and accept that in order to constantly improve on an event one must expand on its policies, but when we continually answered pages of questions hoping that there was an end in sight, further pages of questions appeared.  We were eventually told by the City of Calgary Event Planning Department that for whatever reason our event was being looked at under a microscope.  This was somewhat confusing as we had run and operated this event for 15 years and were complemented by most of the various city departments at the 2006 event post mortem.  Regardless, the city finally gave us our permit the week of the event.  We also never received a post mortem meeting after the 2007 event as we had in previous years.  We can only imagine that we weren’t going to get the opportunity to run the event again or some other group(s) was working with the city to undermine our efforts.  An important item that also must be brought to everyone’s attention is that our 2007 budget was scrutinized many times by the City of Calgary.  Why so many times we are not sure, but it has come to our attention that when the city was contacted by the ‘Calgary Parks Foundation Grant’ administrators to confirm the city’s commitment to the ADBRF on a longer term basis (5 years or more) the city did not confirm their support.  This is why we did not receive this available grant ($70,000) for our ‘Start Line Apparatus’ and were forced to debt finance this piece of equipment over a 3 year period.  It is very disturbing that in the many times the city looked over our 2007 budget that they did not point out that we may not want to finance the SLA as they had no intention of renewing our License of Occupation, our lease nor the permit to host the 2008 race and festival.

After the event and up until hearing the news of February 5, 2008, the ADBRF had tried to get a hold of the city to discuss the 2008 season and event.  Either people were sick or new people were being assigned as our liaison.  It is now clear as to what the city had planned.  Over the last week there has been a firestorm of press and interviews that both the City of Calgary and the ADBRF has attended.  All of the reasons and accusations by the City of Calgary are either distorted, not in context or outright incorrect.  Some of the items that come to mind include:

1.   Not having enough lifejackets – We have more than enough lifejackets and nobody is allowed on a boat unless they are wearing one.  As most paddlers know, every couple of years (and a total of 3 times over the last 5 years) we have had a regional (or in the case of 2007) a national division.  For this division we receive a lifejacket exemption from the city.  2007 was no exception for receiving this exemption for this division.
2.   Environmental concerns – In 2007 we asked the city if we could put our viewing bleachers in a different location.  This location had small trees and scrub grass that would have been in the way.  Parks was consulted for an opinion and the request was declined.  We then went back to our initial layout and no further discussion took place. How can inquiries by an organization become environmental concerns?
3.   Damage to the park – Every year after the event we have an inspection of the site.  This year we had a rut on the grass that was created by the vendors and caused by all the rain during the 2007 event.  This rut was approximately 6 inches deep 1 foot wide and 15 feet long.  We were charged $500 for its repair and told otherwise that the site was fine.  Last time we checked the rut was never repaired even though we paid for the city to do so.  Please note that the city Parks Department has been wonderful in previous years and this in no way is a slight towards them.  It is just another maddening example of causing financial hardship towards the ADBRF.
4.   The city said we were part of a failed mediation process they implemented and that they claim had failed – The mediation process was requested by the ADBRF and was successful in that it provided an operational plan for all three user groups (ADBRF, Calgary Canoe Club and the Calgary Rowing Club)
5.   The ADBRF did not implement any suggestions by the outside auditor – The ADBRF implemented all the suggestions of the outside auditor within weeks.  We also adopted the changes into our by-laws, which was done and distributed to the city.
6.   Governance issues – The ADBRF has had many governance reviews and none of them have failed. We were requested to have a full audit 30 days after the event and another at year end. We chose to change our year end to accommodate the City and reduce our costs.  The audit cost close to $30,000.00 and was never even considered in their decision. How many times must an organization have governance reviews in order to have a clean bill of health?
7.   Lack of Security in the Beer/Beverage Garden – The ADBRF had paid for all the security required by the City of Calgary Police and at no time did the attending police officers bring up any concerns.
8.   Children in the beer gardens – the permit was for an all age beverage garden.  All alcohol purchases required ID when asked.  The concept of an all age’s beverage garden was to allow families to sit together.

The ADBRF isn’t perfect; but in its current state it runs more efficiently and effectively than it ever has.  The ADBRF has constantly improved the event by providing new equipment and keeping our old equipment in a state of good repair even though we only have rusty old storage containers at our disposal that leak rusty water onto our equipment and stain our lifejackets.  We have also (as outlined in this letter) been protecting the best interests of all dragon boat paddlers in Calgary by trying to obtain long term leases with the city.  We have made reference to other user groups in this letter to try and explain how the chain of events have transpired and have not intended to put the Calgary Canoe Club nor the Calgary Rowing Club in a bad light.  They are both important user groups in the City of Calgary just as is the Alberta Dragon Boat Race Foundation.  We believe that the hearts of both of these user groups have truly wanted to work with the ADBRF in coming up with solutions as any problems arise; but it has been the city of Calgary’s lack of guidance or fair decision making that has inevitably caused a majority of everyone’s existing problems.  We have also tried to explain the chain of events since late 2003 with the utmost accuracy and can back everything up with hardcopy letters and e-mails.
 
The most recent decisions from the city are not a result of the 2007 event but a smoke screen that they hope will hide the true issues and reasons for going after a legitimate and community based not-for-profit.  If they are allowed to take the ADBRF out of the equation at the Calgary Reservoir, it will be a sad day for all dragon boat paddlers.  It will be a situation where the city will not be able to fairly provide accessibility to all teams and unfortunately only special interest groups will be able to meet their dragon boat practice goals.

It is now more important than ever that all teams band together and support the ADBRF as it has supported them in the past.  Do not believe that another group will fight as hard for the rights of paddlers as the ADBRF has.

Once again we are looking for the support of the Dragon Boat Community to contact the Alderman of Ward #11, Brian Pincott, and request that the ADBRF continue to run the annual dragon boat festival and more importantly, continue with its License of Occupation that provides practice time for all teams in a fair fashion.  We would also ask that you send us a cc. of your support.  The address and e-mail of Alderman Pincott are as follows:

Brian Pincott
Alderman Offices
P.O. Box 2100, Stn. M,
Calgary, Alberta T2P 2M5

Or

E-mail:  Brian Pincott Ward # 11
[email protected]

Please note that everyone will be contacted and invited to an open forum team liaison meeting.  This will take place closer to the end of March.  Thank you for your ongoing support.


Sincerely,


The Directors of the Alberta Dragon Boat Race Foundation

Yikes!

You weren't kidding!  I read the whole thing though...why do I think that this issue is far from settled?

Also, what kind of money was the ADBRF bringing in that they could afford $75,000 for blueprints?  And $30,000 for an audit?  Didn't they put that out to tender or anything?  And what are they doing buying a $70,000 piece of equipment before they have the finances secured?  If they truly were expecting to pay for that SLA with grant money, then you don't buy it before the grant is approved, c'mon.  Maybe I'm reading too much between the lines here, but it seems like maybe the ADBRF has made a few missteps along the way that were not among the items listed in this letter...???

I would suggest that these $ amounts and recollection of events are at best a one-sided view of what has transpired.  A long, but well written defensive statement, but it leaves me with more questions than answers:

I have 5 questions:

1)  If you spent $75,000 on blue-prints, who was the architect and could you provide us with their name for verification.
If it is correct, I am sure they would not mind sharing comments on their good work (with your permission to do so), if not, I suspect we will get a denial that any such monies ever changed hands

2)  Please provide us with the name of the auditor, and the scope of the audit.  Again, permission to verify the accuracy of this claim would be appreciated.

3)  Please provide details on the $70,000 purchase, what was involved, and again, permission to verify this with the supplier.  Details of the "financier" of the the debt financing would be helpful for verification....and does the ADBRF own these assets or does another non-arms length for profit organization?

4)  The annual salary paid to the President and any other paid staff details.  The names of those on the board that voted and approved this amount/these amounts would also be of interest.

5)  Total budget, revenue (including sources) and expenditures (a spreadsheet would be nice) for the ADBRF for 2006/7

As I understand it, non-profit groups can from time to time be asked to share their finances with the public, so perhaps now would be a good time (perhaps share them with the press?) so that we can verify some of the claims and representations noted. 

Well Founder, your vow of silence didn't last very long, but it is refreshing to see that your words are now somewhat more coherent.  Yes, it's true that the ABDRF's letter is one-sided, and it definitely raises many questions, such as those you've mentioned, but it is THEIR side of the story.  At least it is a side of the story, which is more information than we had before.  It also seems to be quite sincere in its tone.  It would be interesting to hear what some of the other groups involved in all of this have to say.  ABDRF is asking for our support, but it is difficult to know if that is the best course of action before hearing more details about the positions of the other parties.  In fact it would be nice to know who some of these "other" unnamed groups are.  Also, why is it that some people including you, Founder, seem to dislike the ABDRF so much?

In a word.....integrity.

The decision really has been made and there is only one outcome possible; a new inclusive
organization to run dragon boat racing in Calgary.  The proof of the good intentions of those
involved will become obvious in the coming months.

You can be a part of it or continue to sit on the sidelines and support a group which continues
to share only the most distorted of facts.  That is purely my opinion, but I suggest you ask
your own questions of the ADBRF and see if you can get a straight answer backed by facts
and tangible proof.

The absence of these should give you a strong enough signal to move on and be a part of
an exciting re-birth of the event in Calgary....and God only knows, maybe even Vernon and
other jurisdictions that may have been misled!

Too bad about the hijacked assets (boats, pfd's, paddles), but if that is the price that has to
be paid to clean up the event in our city, so be it.

Ultimately everyone must make their own judgment and decisions related to the information at
hand, but again I caution you NOT to take anything at face value, including what I may have
asserted.  Seek out your own "facts" and move on.

Paddles up!

I've heard the name Richard Gotfried floating around the rumor mills as the New Special Interest grp- anybody know who this is!!!???
Founder - you seem to know ALOT - you must know this person??

A quick run through google, turns up that Richard Gotfried was the Founding Director of the Alberta Dragon Boat Race Foundation (ADBRF).

So, I wonder if the poster known as Founder is perhaps the Founding Director himself??????

He's interestingly also Vice President of Corporate Communications for Trico Homes who was a former main sponsor of the Calgary Dragon boat festival.

Could this be the same Richard Gotfried under whose guidance almost caused the ADBRF to go under(2002 - 2003 seasons), or who purchased the much loved Dynasty boats (Which was owned by another ADBRF director (or staff member).  Also rumored to have had ADBRF members and their families have paid trips to Asia.  Talk about lining ones pockets etc.

Pot calling the Kettle Black I think.

Hmmm...perhaps we have uncovered the identity of Founder?

I just want to say for the record that I think it's unfortunate that this is happening to the community of Calgary paddlers.  Hang tough everyone, you may not have a Calgary event this year, but a few years ago we lost an entire NHL season, so keep things in perspective, be patient and you will paddle again.

These are interesting comments!  Founder DOES appear to know a lot, but is unwilling to share this information.  One has to wonder why that is.  Is he or she so close to the situation that he/she fears retribution of some sort if he/she reveals too much?  Or maybe his/her information is lacking somehow, and based more on rumors and speculation than anything tangible?  If a bright, shiny new day of dragon boating is dawning in Calgary, as Founder predicts, how are we going to make sure this tangled web we are now victim to does not  entangle us once more?  

Personal attacks are interesting, particularly when they come from anonymous sources.

Check with anyone who actually knows me and you will discover that there never was any event crisis under
my watch (that involved integrity, honesty or conflict of interest), any boat procurement was a decision of the entire board (free vote) and that the disposition of any airline tickets was not at my direction, although I was instrumental in having them donated to the ADBRF as part of a broader sponsorship package that helped secure numerous media sponsors.

You will also find that my integrity is highly regarded amongst anyone who really knows me and has dealt
with me from literally hundreds of companies and non-profit or charitable groups.  Ask they same question
of the leadership of the ADBRF. (I am happy to provide a list of dozens of third party groups where you can
verify this, but it sounds like those posting may really not be interested in the truth.)

I would be pleased to meet with any of you and to discuss the situation and my role, which is
not one that I chose, but as a "Founder", one that I feel obligated to fulfill so that we DO have
races once again in Calgary.

So if you have any more personal attacks, why don't you call instead.  I am a big boy, stand on
the truth and integrity, and would be pleased to engage in an exchange of viewpoints.

As someone has felt it necessary to input a name, place of work, title etc, I found it interesting
that the "poster" of this info does not have the guts nor integrity to fully identify themselves.

Another case of mis-leading information, skewed comments, and a lack of facts and background. 

ADBRF is desperate because they abused the public and paddlers trust and will try any tactics to
try and claw back their largest asset, the Calgary Dragon Boat event.  Without it they are marginalized and become just another "seller" of for profit event management services, which is essentially what they have become.

Chew on that perspective!

Well, well, well!  So Founder's identity really has been revealed, and he readily admits it!  I sure didn't see that coming!  Gee, Founder, you could have kept us guessing a little bit longer!  For someone who's been teasing us with tidbits of information, and then holding back, you sure let that one out of the bag in a hurry!  It's too bad really - people should be allowed to remain anonymous if they want to.  At least now I can understand a lot better most of your earlier comments.  You are obviously VERY close to this situation, and know LOTS, and no doubt have some very good reasons for holding back information.   In fact I'm a bit surprised that you waded in as far as you did.  I personally know nothing about some of these nasty things that have been said about your past involvement with the ABDRF, nor do I really care.  Unfortunately, people in positions of leadership, even those with great integrity and the best of intentions, will often be unfairly judged by people who don't know all the details.  Don't take it too hard.  You might consider changing your forum name if you want to keep chatting with us little people. 

So, I started looking at this forum hoping to gain a better idea of what's happening with our dragon boat festival.  All I can conclude is the following:
       -that things are not what they seem;
       -the real reason the ABDRF  has lost its license doesn't really have anything to do with safety, or the environment but with messy accounting, and differing perspectives about the integrity of the organization;
       - that we ordinary people don't really want to know too much about that mess, because its just too nasty;
       -that some mysterious somebody/group is working optimistically to salvage this year's festival;
       -that team captains are meeting with the City some time in March to come up with a plan (actually, I knew that before looking here);
       -we, the lowly paddlers shouldn't give our support to any one group, because none of them can be trusted;
       -we, the lowly paddlers have to sit around and wait and wonder, and consider picking up a new summer sport while we wait for the City to make some decision and maybe include us or tell us what to do.

Time will tell!
       

All well stated, Bolero.  And a good overview of the situation until more clarity is available. 

And yes, anonymity should be the preserve of these blogs, but alas it is not always so.
Some people feel compelled to speculate on other participants (as if it matters) while
steadfastly protecting their own sanctity.
 
Do not underestimate the power of free thought however, and that all opinions should
carry equal weight.  Knowledge of history, backroom drama and opinions on underlying
motivations of individuals are not always transparent, but unless you were there, and
know what has gone on, it is only rumour...and you are right to treat it as such until
you satisfy yourself with reasoned facts.

It is not a good situation, hence the solution is not readily at hand, nor should it be.

The paddling community NEEDS to be engaged in the outcome for it to be meaningful,
and having said that, I suspect that although there are high hopes and sufficient
resources at hand to salvage a positive racing and festival experience for 2008 for the
community, that this can only take place with support from the individuals and teams/clubs
that truly have their hearts and passion in both the sport and the best interests of the
community at large.  The Chinese community must also be encouraged to step up to the
plate to allow them to contribute to the preservation of the rich history of this event.

You are however (I believe) wrong about the reasons for the City's actions, as it is
clear that safety and site stewardship are key issues.  I am not sure how big a
part governance and integrity (financial or otherwise) had in their decision, as I was
not privy to the process, the audit, nor the outcomes of that report.(Nor have I been
the least bit involved with the workings from either perspective since January of 2005).

It is clear however that any new organization must prove that it is both trustworthy
and well-governed, not to mention that the motivations of the stakeholders are clear
and aligned with participant and community interests.  There must also be a willingness
and ability to compromise with the city and other users of the reservoir and associated
facilities.

In your words, messy and nasty may not be too far from the truth, but it did not need
to come to this, and the ADBRF had ample opportunity to avoid the current situation
irrespective of what some may think of their motivations, objectives and integrity; that
is the irony of the situation.  Arrogance perhaps was their undoing.

We do not have much time to salvage 2008, but please consider, stealing the words of a
famous politician - "ask not what your dragon boat community can do for you, but what
you can do for the community!"

Many hands make light work.......see you on the reservoir.

sum interesting stuff here.  I just hope they can get the races revived and just let us padd;e!

Does anyone know how we can have a team meeting to find out more about this ADBRF issue and
what we are supposed to do to get back om the water?

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2008/03/17/5027931-sun.html


Dragon boat fest still has fire
Organizers look elsewhere -- including Banff -- to keep event alive after forced from reservoir
By KATIE SCHNEIDER, SUN MEDIA

Calgary's dragon boat festival is down but not out, though fans of the popular summer event may have to venture out of town to catch all the action.

After the city refused to renew the permit that allows the Calgary Dragon Boat Festival to take place each summer on the Glenmore Reservoir, the foundation that oversees the race has set its sights west of Calgary to host the event that last year attracted a record 115 teams.

Plans are in the works to host the event this August on Lake Minnewanka.

The lake is 5 km northeast of the town of Banff, which has been in talks with the foundation for several months, said its president Shawn Samol.

"We've been working with the town prior to receiving the news," Samol said.

"We were very excited when we went and walked (around) the venue -- the community is welcoming it with open arms."

He said "everything is in order" for the race to take place the third weekend of August, before the Labour Day weekend.

Though the group has been interested in expanding the race to other venues, and has been approached in the past by communities wanting to host similar events, more have come forward since the foundation's problems with the Calgary permit process, Samol said.

"There are other communities who have been approaching us to expand to their communities ... but our phone has been ringing off the hook," he said, adding the group has been most actively working with Banff.

"We currently have a race in Vernon and still want to race in Calgary -- the third one would be the race in Banff," he said.

The race on Lake Minnewanka could become the main attraction if the Calgary event didn't come to fruition, he added.

"In the event that the race ever got cancelled in Calgary ... that would be a marquee event," he said.

Citing concerns over safety, environmental stewardship and integrity of the event, the city last month revoked the Alberta Dragon Boat Race Foundation's licence to occupy the reservoir and refused to renew the permit for the festival, which attracts 3,000 participants and 50,000 spectators.

While the foundation was surprised at the city's decision to revoke its permit and occupancy license, which it's currently trying to reverse, and is delighted to be approached by other communities wanting to host a race, the group still hopes it will be able to continue the tradition in Calgary.

"All it does is show our organization is a well-run organization that runs great event. It just shows the strength of our organization," he said.

If the city's decision is reversed, the Calgary race would be Aug. 8 to 10 and the one in Banff, the name of which hasn't yet been determined, would be two weeks later, he said.

from what I heard from some other clubs the adbrf will not be involved with any races in calgary because of safety, financial issues and lack of trust with the city.  maybe they are dreaming or regretting there actions.

as for minniwanka, I remember being on there as a kid and within about 3 minutes a squall blew in with metre high waves and whitecaps and we almost died in the freezing water, so it sounds like a bit of invermere to me with no money back once again for a xxld race from the famed adbrf and the same shawn samol quoted in this article.  gotta wunder.

an interesting viewpoint on dragon boating in the national parks from the Rocky Mountain Outlook publication; letter to the editor...makes you wonder about "the community is welcoming it with open arms", as quoted from the ADBRF.


National Parks or Disneyland?
Mar 23 2008

Editor:

Thank you for printing Judy Tye’s letter in last week’s Outlook, confirming what responsible visitors to our Mountain Parks do expect.

It is reassuring to know that some Canadians still understand and appreciate the purpose of our National Parks System, which is to protect natural areas in their original state; not to provide a free ride for businesses wishing to make money on the back of our ecological heritage by offering activities and services that clearly have no place in a National Park.

Unfortunately, our Park Managers and organizations like Banff Lake Louise Tourism, Fairmont Hotels and their friends at AMPPE appear to have forgotten about that. 

So now BLLT’s latest brainchild is to host dragon boat races on Lake Minnewanka?! What does that have to do with the protection of our natural environment, local heritage or the enjoyment/education of visitors who come to appreciate nature and wilderness in our parks? Activities and services that do not have to be carried out in a National Park should never be allowed in a National Park in the first place.

This includes dragon boat races, adventure races, golf tournaments, conference centres, ski hill accommodation, mechanized activities such as helicopter tours, and any activities which attract hordes of visitors/spectators for events that clearly belong in a city, amusement park, sports arena or elsewhere. Drawing people into the Parks who are not sensitized to the fragile environment of the area is clearly unacceptable and unnecessary. Incidentally, a dragonboat race on Calgary’s Glenbow Reservoir is not allowed to be carried out this year. Among the reasons cited for the decline were concerns about public safety, damage to public property/lake shore as well as refuse left behind...

The statement that “the last weekend in August is traditionally one of the softest weekends for visitation...” clearly shows that all these organizations care about is their own bottom line and not the integrity of the park eco-system. 

End of August is the time when summer tourism starts to slow down everywhere and not just in the Bow Valley. Every tourism operator in the province has to live with. It is still generally a time where most operators are enjoying high occupancy levels and revenues.

What’s more, operators in Banff and Lake Louise already are at a distinct advantage in that their season tends to be longer and they have a four month winter season to benefit from as well, unlike other locations.

If commercial operators in Banff Park cannot cope with existing seasonal fluctuations, then clearly it shows once again that Banff is overdeveloped and too many businesses are trying to get their share of the pie.

Alan Ernst

Nordegg

Looks like Calgary's back on...

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=7f9047e7-e621-4d56-8f75-8b696d1d27b7&k=79399

Dragon boat race back at Glenmore
City will issue event licence to new organizer
Kim Guttormson, Calgary Herald
Published: Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Calgary's dragon boat paddlers will have a hometown event to race in this summer, despite the city pulling the licence of the organizer.

"At this point, the festival will be happening," said Charlene Waldal, president of the Sistership Dragon Boat Association. "It's pretty exciting, the way it's looking."

While a number of details need to be worked out -- including finding enough additional boats for practices and the race itself -- the city has said it will issue a licence for the Aug. 9 and 10 event.

Last month, the city cancelled the Alberta Dragon Boat Race Foundation's permit, which allowed it to put boats on the Glenmore Reservoir. The organization's licence for the August two-day event was also pulled.

The city cited numerous concerns that hadn't been addressed over two years, including not keeping a route clear for EMS crews and environmental issues -- problems disputed by the foundation.

Paddlers in the city -- whether they participate in the sport for recreation or competitively -- immediately expressed concern they wouldn't get out on the water this season.

While the Sistership and Top Made teams each own a boat -- and have licences allowing them to use the reservoir -- the majority of vessels in the city belong to the dragon boat foundation.

Karen Young, manager of strategic planning and policy for the city's recreation department, said it is working on "renewing the fleet."

Two options being considered are working with the Calgary Canoe Club, which also operates on the reservoir, to purchase boats or to use a company that contracts boats for races.

Interested parties -- including Sistership, Top Made, the Calgary Canoe Club, Calgary Chinese Merchants Association, a group of paddlers and the city's recreation department -- have been meeting to figure out how to proceed.

Waldal said with the two boats available, "we're going to do what we can to make boats available to other times. There definitely won't be a new foundation. We just want to help paddlers get on the water."

She added the reservoir opens to boats May 1 and they'd like to be on the water by Victoria Day at the latest.

Shawn Samol, of the Alberta Dragon Boat Race Foundation, said he wasn't aware the event was going ahead and it is still working with the city to be the group that hosts the event.

The foundation is also working to stage a race at Lake Minnewanka near Banff this summer.

Ald. Brian Pincott said this year's race will have a larger cultural component, weaving in the sport's Chinese heritage.

Danny Ng, with the Calgary Chinese Merchants Association, which hosts the annual street festival in August, said this event is a good fit.

"The opportunity came up to include more of a community (component)," he said, adding they haven't determined what that will look like.

Last summer's race had 115 teams.

Announcement:

The City of Calgary is excited to announce that with the collaborative efforts of dedicated individuals from local Dragon Boat Clubs, the Calgary Canoe Club, the Calgary Chinese Merchants Association and members of Calgary’s corporate community, plans to launch a revitalized Dragon Boat Festival at the Glenmore Reservoir in August are proceeding with renewed enthusiasm.

The group has defined the following values as its guiding principles on how the event will be planned and operated:

Environmental Stewardship of the Reservoir & North Glenmore Park
Safety of participants, other users, and the public
Collaborative Approach between user groups
Coordination of resources
Focus on recreation and the Calgary community
Respect for the Chinese Cultural component of the festival and sport

This year’s festival will take place on August 9 & 10 and will reflect a deep commitment to the local dragon boating community and the people of Calgary.     Plans to honour the rich cultural history and traditions of the event are also proceeding well with significant involvement from Calgary’s vibrant Chinese community.

Practice times are already being coordinated between clubs, utilizing boats from Topmade Dragon Boat Club & Sistership Dragon Boat Club and plans to acquire more boats are underway. 

While the broad strokes of getting this event off the ground have been defined, much work is ahead and this group will be looking to the Dragon Boat and paddling communities, corporate Calgary and the Chinese community for support.  There will be opportunities for involvement in all aspects of the event, from planning and operations, to sponsorship and race day volunteering.

Volunteer & Sponsorship engagement, alongside the dedicated and passionate support of the local dragon boating community, will be the key to success for 2008.  Anyone interested in ensuring that Calgary continues to enjoy this exciting and vibrant event can contact any of the organizations below:

Topmade Dragon Boat Club
Sistership Dragon Boat Society
Calgary Chinese Merchants Association
Calgary Canoe Club
The City of Calgary – Recreation (Brenda Jay) [/font] [/font]

Wow.  5 years later and I recently heard the ADBRF's event at Minnewanka has been cancelled!  Good riddance and let's hope this group and their unscrupulous leader never, ever are allowed to run an event anywhere in Alberta!  With any luck, the powers that be in Vernon or wherever else they have operated will also wake up and chase their sorry asses out of town!  What goes around, comes around, right! 

More power to the community-spirited organizers of the current event in YYC...

I'm happy to report that Calgary is indeed back and better than ever. The festival has been run for the past three years by the Calgary Dragon Boat Society, which is a non-profit group whose mandate is to promote the sport and host an annual festival. This year we hope to host up to 50 teams at our fantastic venue on the Glenmore reservoir. The event takes place on Aug 10-11 and we have a discounted entry fee for out of town teams and a great hotel partner. For more details check out our website at: http://www.chinatowncalgary.com/dragonboat/ (http://www.chinatowncalgary.com/dragonboat/)

Hope to see you this summer!

Quickly brousing the registration it looks like teams must use calgary steerspersons and not their own . am i reading this right?

"Only CDBS approved steersperson(s) will be allowed to steer a dragon boat." I may mean out-of-town steerspeople have to get approved. I wonder if it is similar to RioTinto Alcan DBF with approvals and those orange reflective vests?