Arquivo F1360 - Kingston Rowing Club fonds

The Kingston Rowing Club was established at a meeting at City Hall on February 2, 1977. Michael Davies was elected President with John Armitage as Secretary and Terry Kelly as Treasurer. By April a novice men's and women's eight from KCVI were working out daily on the Inner Harbour in an old Pocock shell purchased from Princeton University. The boats were stored in the Whig Standard newsprint warehouse located at the end of a laneway off Rideau Street at Cataraqui Street. The new club's first gold medal came at the Ontario Summer Games in Kitchener in August with an upset win in the women's eight.

On May 28, 1978 the first major regatta to be held in Kingston, The Eastern Rowing Association High School Championships, took place. The sod turning for the clubhouse at Orchard Street Park took place at the Second Annual Kingston regatta on May 27, 1979. The new shell house was officially opened on May 25, 1980