Montreal DragonFly

Ciao team!

 I must admit and I’m sure that those who attended practice tonight would also agree…  it was a great practice…  though, the turn-out was low and the water was freezing cold…  But, we all got a chance to get some personal feedback from Seb on how to improve our techniques such as on our twist, our exits, our body weight to be outside of the boat, etc…  Angela discovered the true meaning of paddling in dead water…  OK, so, it doesn’t help that we were only 7 who showed-up…  but, it was definitely productive!  Keep-in mind that we only have two months left of indoor practice where we can actually focus more on personal techniques and also, where the coach can give-us more of a one on one feedback right next to you while paddling…  Once that we’re outside, we’ll be mostly focusing on being in synch, on race paces, on starts, on finishes..  more teamwork mostly…  So, please take the opportunity to work hard on mastering the techniques now.  Like I said…  there’s only TWO MONTHS left…  and that’s going by real FAST!

Also, as Vicky always mentions…  please fill the attendance sheet for next week!!!  We don’t want to paddle in such dead water again! LOL

Dear DragonFlyers!

 If you haven’t realized the crazy raise of cost for practicing our fave sport at the Bassin Olympic has become…  I don’t know where you’ve been hidding!  With the raise of cost for parking…  practices…  gym access…  and now, making us pay for the access card to enter the building for the practices that we’ve already paid for…  it’s where the Dragonboat community who practice their sport at the Bassin Olympic have draw the line.  I had gotten a request from our captain to write an official complaint letter to the PJD board from the behalf of our team.  With the help of Francis, this is what we sent:

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                                                                                             Saturday, February 14, 2009

                                                                     Nancy Wong

                                                                     Co-Captain

                                                                     Montreal Dragonfly Dragonboat Team

                                                                     http://montrealdragonfly.org

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Nancy Wong and I am co-captain and paddler of the Montreal Dragonfly dragonboat team (#2563).  I write to you regarding the new cost of accessing the Olympic basin facilities and its negative consequences.

It was brought to the attention of the Montreal dragonboating community that PJD intends to charge $20 for its Olympic basin access card at the beginning of 2009. It is also rumored that PJD is intending on charging for the card twice a year.

The cost of the access card has a negative impact on non-profit organizations, independent athletes and active students who only need to access the changing rooms, bathrooms, and clean water.

Consider other athletic facilities like your local gym.  They only charge you once for the membership, which includes access fees.  It’s not like they charge people extra for keys to the gym.

To put it more bluntly, the PJD is nickel-and-diming its users and such behaviours are practiced by the likes of money-grubbing telephone companies.  Obviously, this may result in events and athletes seeking alternatives to PJD.

That being said, it should also be noted decreasing the accessibility to the basin facilities flies against PJD’s own mandates (http://www.parcjeandrapeau.com/Profil/Organisation/tabid/65/Default.aspx).  This does not help PJD “provide activities to the public”, especially if events and athletes would consider alternatives.  And if dragonboating at PJD should wane, that will not help “foster the image of Parc Jean-Drapeau”.  Believe it or not, the image of dragonboating at PJD already exists: http://flickr.com/search/?q=montreal+dragonboat&m=tags.

Additionally, this directly affects the Montreal dragonboating community as it continues to struggle to be an established sporting event in Montreal.  Charging for access to basics has a negative impact on recruiting and retention of paddlers.

Granted, there are costs to maintaining PJD but I beg you to consider alternatives to increasing the costs of accessing the very basics for athletes.  I would suggest reaching out to various organizations to host more events.

Lastly, I would point out that this new fee hasn’t gone unnoticed by Montreal’s PJD’s users.  There is a petition in place (http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/parc-jean-drapeau.html) and you may want to go review the nearly 300 signatures and comments (http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/parc-jean-drapeau/signatures.html).

Again, I urge you to reconsider.

Yours, sincerely,

Nancy Wong

Ciao!  Like every month, it seems that we have tons of b-days to celebrate…  For the b-days of the month of March, we’ll be going to the sugar shack.  Here are the details:

Event: B-day celebrations at Sugar Shack

Date: 08MAR2009

Time: 12:00pm

Place: Les Vergers Denis Charbonneau

Website: http://www.vergersdc.qc.ca/menu-champetre-cabane.php

Hopefully, this year, the b-day boys/girls won’t get lost and end-up at the wrong sugar shack like last year! LOL  Anyways,  I hope that you can all make-it.  Please confirm by 23FEB2009.  I’ll be making the reservations by then.

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• People who have confirmed up to now:
  - Nancy & Francis (space for 2 in car)
  - Charles & Rita (Space for 1)
  - David & Yan (need ride)
  - Sam (need ride)
  - Hanting (need ride)
  - Stephanie & Erik + 3 (need ride)
• - Vicky (space for 3)
  - Lei & Arden (space for 1)
  - Karnon
• - Cindy (space for 3)
• - Joyce (Space for 3)
• - Ayman

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Ok, guys…  only a few days to go to confirm if you’re coming or not…  Please confirm ASAP!  I’m making the reservations on Monday!  Also, I’ll need to know who needs a ride there and who can offer lifts there.  As for lifts, I’m suggesting that we meet at Metro Angrignon for 11am.  It’s about 45 min car ride from there.  So, let me start the ball rolling…  in my car, I have space for 2.

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OK, well that’s it…  I just did the final count…  if anybody adds on at this point, they’ll need to have their own car or ride.  ‘Cuz now, we’re just enough with nomore room to spare in any cars!  We’re now a total of 20 going to the sugar shack!