Today we celebrated the grand reopening of the historic Banook Canoe Club!!
What a special day for Dartmouth. These waters, Lake Banook and the Shubenacadie Canal waterway, have shaped who we are. Paddling is part of Dartmouth’s identity.
In Dartmouth, people don’t ask if you paddle. They ask where you paddle.
For more than a century, the non-profit Banook Canoe Club has been so much more than a paddling club. It has been a gathering place, a home for celebration, where generations of families have come together for competitions, programs, and community events.
Today, we celebrate not only its preservation, but its renewal. A project like this doesn’t happen without an extraordinary group of people who believe deeply in what this place means, and who worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life.
Thank you to the donors and to all of the incredible volunteers, past and present, who worked so hard to make this a reality.
From planning until the finish line, our government was proud to partner in this work, investing over $2.3 million to help revitalize this historic building so it is fully accessible, energy efficient, and ready to serve the community for generations to come. This was a true partnership, with all orders of government coming together to support this work.
This investment is about honouring the history of this place while securing its future, making sure it remains a space for everyone.
Congratulations to everyone who helped make this day possible.
Welcome home, Banook!
