The club was founded in 1902 as the Rideau Aquatic Club with a clubhouse on the Rideau Canal near the Exhibition Grounds designed by Moses Chamberlain Edey in 1904-5. A memorial brass plaque on a flag pole is dedicated to the memory of the members who fell during the First World War. In 1981, this memorial was rededicated to include the members of the Club who fell during the Second World War. The clubhouse was on the canal at Fifth Avenue in the Glebe until the 1940s, when it was destroyed by winter ice. In 1946, the club reorganized as the Rideau Canoe Club and in the following year, relocated to its current location at Mooney's Bay. Club facilities include a clubhouse with five boat bays and a repair shop, and two 'annex' boat storage buildings set somewhat back from the water. The club is directly adjacent to a set of locks on the Rideau Canal. A book on the history of the club has been written by lifetime member Mike Scott. In June 2009, it was announced that the RCC was to receive funding for an expansion project. The governments of Canada, Ontario and Ottawa each contributed up to $594,000. Additional funding was raised by the Club for a total project cost of more than $2.3 million. The current facility officially opened on September 3, 2010 accommodating more programming for educational and day-camp operations and training for athletes from beginners to Olympians. The facility is also fully accessible to visitors and athletes with disabilities. The new lounge in the club house was named the Mike Scott Lounge after his extensive community service and extraordinary community service record.
Programs
Traditional events include K-1, K-2, K-4, C-1, C-2, C-4 and C-15, where a K-2 is a 2-person kayak and C-4 is a 4-person canoe, etc. Several programs are offered, encompassing children and teenagers of varying experience and skill levels, high-performance paddlers, and Masters paddlers. Rideau traditionally hosts a Canada Dayregatta, drawing high-performance athletes from across Canada and the United States. Dragon Boat practices are frequently held at the club and the Ottawa Dragon Boat Race Festival is held on the club's course, with visiting teams setting up across the river. The club also offers courses in more conventional recreational canoes, kayaks and stand up paddle boards, and is the venue for the Head of the Rideau rowing regatta, held annually in late September by the Ottawa Rowing Club.
Notable successes
The club has won the overall Canadian Championship eight times: 1923, 1925, 1927, 1973, 1985, 2002, 2015, 2018 and 2019. Former Olympians Sue Holloway, Renn Crichlow, Angus Mortimer, Kristin Gauthier, and Rhys Hill trained at RCC, and several high-level Canadian athletes call Rideau their current home club. The Rideau Canoe Club is also home to the 2018 Olympic Hopes U-16 women's C-1 200m champion.
