New Canadians learning skills and belonging through Learn to Paddle program
Some nights there are as many as 20 people gingerly stepping into the canoes at Carburn Park, their first experience in a water craft that has connected this vast land for more than 1,000 years.
Participants are signed up through Immigrant Services Calgary, and qualified paddling instructors walk them through everything from putting on a life jacket and getting in and out safely, to draws, pries and j-strokes.
"When newcomers come to Canada, we are worried about housing, employment and the recreational doesn't always come first," said Erika Tam with Immigrant Services Calgary.
"They need to find a new identity of how they are in Canada, so canoeing is one of the ways of integrating," Tan said.
Learning to paddle is also a way for some to connect with new friends. Eunice Olorunleke said she wants to go camping, but felt she needed to develop some comfort on the water and some basic skills.
Canadian newcomers learn how to canoe
"I said: 'Okay. Let me just try," Olorunleke says. "I would love to travel with them to go camping, so I said let me just come and learn how to paddle so that I can go with them."
The lessons are free, part of a federal grant program given to Canoe Kayak Canada. Local clubs Rocky Mountain Paddling Centre, Bow Waters Canoe Club and Waterwerks Kayak Club provide a mix of equipment and instructors.
The learn to paddle program has only one more session this year.
Canoes can be rented in Calgary for as little as $25 a day, making them a fun and affordable option for families.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winning $70 million Lotto Max ticket sold in Toronto
A winning Lotto Max ticket was sold in Toronto from last nights draw.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Moscow says 50 Ukrainian drones shot down as attacks spark fires at Russian power stations
Ukraine launched a barrage of drones across Russia overnight, the Defence Ministry in Moscow said Saturday, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure.
A Nigerian chess champion plays the royal game for 60 hours - a new global chess record
A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York City's Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.