Dragon boating and False Creek have gone hand in hand since Expo 86 when the first boats were launched in front of a world audience. Despite the popularity of water sports like dragon boating, kayaking and rowing on False Creek, there is still no designated, permanent paddling facility.
Gary Tang was first introduced to dragon boating in 2006 as a member of Eternal Dragon, a team formed at Eric Hamber secondary. Today, he coaches the school program and is a member of One West, a competitive adult team.
Teams like Tang’s make use of False Creek and Creekside community centres, but the facilities aren’t expansive enough or specifically designed to accommodate a high number of paddlers. Lockers, parking, showers and meeting space are limited. Larger equipment is kept outside in storage bins.
“Once we stuffed seven backpacks in one locker,” said Tang.
The busiest evening practices see 10 to 15 teams on at once. That’s more than 300 people using the cramped storage. Gear such as life jackets and extra paddles are stashed in steel storage containers near the docks.
The Dragon Zone Paddling Club, operated by the Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society, is run out of a single office at Creekside. The club functions separately from the community centre and manages groups that paddle on the water.
The Festival Society hosts hundreds of international competitors and an estimated 90,000 spectators for the annual three-day Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival. The festival began in 1989 and is scheduled this year for June 20 to 22.
Portions of the north end of False Creek remain the largest undeveloped land in the downtown peninsula. The False Creek North Official Development Plan was underway nearly 25 years ago when, in 1990, discussion began about land use.
Concord Pacific submitted a rezoning application in December 2007 to develop the north shore of False Creek and promised a $4.2 million paddling centre. That promise is close to being realized and an open house for the proposed permanent paddling centre runs today from 4 to 7:30 p.m. outside Creekside community centre on the sea wall. The centre is intended to accommodate all paddlers, but not all groups — notably rowers — believe there is space to include them.
Ann Phelps, general manager of the Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society, said discussion about a paddling centre has persisted for the past 20 years. Her sport stands to benefit.
“We’re lucky that civic leaders recognize this need by all the users of the creek,” said Phelps.
City council has yet to decide when they will debate rezoning the north side of False Creek, the large empty lot owned by Concord Pacific across from the proposed paddling centre, but the paddling community is already circulating a petition to sway councilors to vote in favour.
Josh Magbag, a team member of Ouroboros Platinum from Churchill secondary, has already signed the petition.
His team uses a room at the community centre, which he mentioned is nice though small, but his main concern is for the equipment.
“Those boats are out facing the elements 365 days a year through snow, hail, rain,” said Magbag, exxplaining that not all boats are moored at the dock but have to be pulled out of the water after each practice, which causes wear and tear to the hull.
However, the lack of a centre has not stopped the sport from growing. “Dragon boating is very international and fits well with the people of Vancouver because we strive for cultural diversity,” said Phelps.
Tang, the Hamber alum and coach, loves the unique sense of community dragon boating offers.
“You make a lot of friends and everybody says hi to each other because unlike other sports, you’re forced to be close and sit beside someone in a boat,” he said.
“Friends invite friends onto teams and it’s the networking aspect has helped the sport grow a lot in recent years.”
