Ottawa River Runners: Governance

Choosing the Right Line: Ottawa River Runners’ Strategic Plan

A group of 20 O.R.R. members convened on November 12, 2005 to develop a strategic plan which included new mission and vision statements, our beliefs as a club, and both short and long-term goals. The document was approved and adopted at the 2005 O.R.R. Annual General Meeting.

The planning session involved a group process that considered the following:

• · Our Mission - Why do we exist?

• · Our Vision - What do we want to become?

• · Our Beliefs - What do we believe in?

• · Our Goals - What are our goals (short, medium and long term)?

• · Governance - How are we organized to undertake activities and pursue these goals?

Mission

The Ottawa River Runners (ORR) is an organization dedicated to whitewater paddling. We provide an introduction to the sport and ongoing development, with a range of opportunities for paddlers of all ages and abilities to pursue and achieve their personal paddling goals in a safe, supportive, respectful, and responsible environment.

Vision:

The Ottawa River Runners will be an exemplary whitewater paddling club with a visibility, place and voice for its broad based membership of both recreational and competitive paddlers.

Beliefs. As members of the Ottawa River Runners, we believe:

• in creating an inclusive paddling environment accessible to all that is healthy, safe and fun.

• that each member of ORR has a responsibility to maintain operations and activities in an ecologically sound manner

• in promoting leadership and the social value of volunteerism and collaboration

• in the importance of an advocacy role within our community

• that each member has a personal responsibility to demonstrate ethics, respect, sportsmanship, and teamwork that extends into the community.

• in encouraging both recreational challenge and competitive excellence

• in promoting physical literacy and excellence in training in an environment that encourages life-long physical activity

• that young paddlers must make a commitment to doing their best in both academic and athletic fields.

Goals

In the short term, (1 year) our goal is to:

• reopen the Pumphouse as a training facility;

• establish a club based coaching structure to ensure existing athletes are provided with appropriate coaching support; and

• initiate an introductory development program

In the long term (1-3 years), our goal is to:

• complete the construction of a club house and boat storage building;

• restore the Pumphouse as a competition site;

• expand the membership (level to be defined); and

• establish a coaching development program to expand coaching opportunities to both recreational and competitive paddlers

(For a full version of the statement, click here)

Governance and committee structure