Remembering 85 years at Mic Mac

On Oct. 19 there will be an anniversary party and celebration to honour one of this city's grand old dames, the Mic Mac Amateur Aquatic Club.

For 85 years, the club has nurtured and trained world class paddlers, rowers and swimmers and has more than once played host to some of the biggest athletic events in metro.

Mic Mac has come a long way since it opened in 1923 as a small boathouse, surrounded by ice houses that catered mostly to social affairs, some rowing and lots of fun for the strictly male-only membership.

Arnie Patterson, former paddler, veteran Canadian journalist, broadcaster and former principal press secretary to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, will be speaking at the anniversary event.

Patterson, whose family has been members of Mic Mac since the 1920s, says Dartmouth in the 20s, 30s and 40s, and even beyond, had little in the way of organized athletics and little budget to support them.

"There was no indoor rink, a handful of softball and baseball diamonds, most of them were in disrepair, and the only basketball hall of consequence was at Dartmouth High," said Patterson. "But through this period the boat clubs like Mic Mac provided outstanding recreational outlets for boys and girls. If you think of it there would be thousands of Dartmouthians, many of them in their 70s and 80s, who grew up with the embrace of these clubs. Thousands."

Patterson says there were several sporting heroes from Mic Mac who were huge inspirations in his life.

There was the famous fours rowing crew that finished third in the 1932 olympics. The crew consisted of Henry Pelham, Gordon (Tiny) Gammon, Fraser Herman and Frank Courtney," he said.

But principal among these were his standout brother Bill who has a room at the club named in his honour. William Patterson was president of Mic Mac in 1948 and under his direction the club became the first Maritime club to win membership in the Canadian Canoe Association. Thousands of Nova Scotians have since competed in national championships, said Patterson, but the whole movement was started by his brother.

Today, Mic Mac continues to dominate on the world paddling and rowing scenes.The club has been proud to have had two athletes, Julia Rivard and Jillian D'Alessio, compete at the Olympics, Worlds, European Tours and World Cups. And there have been 14 junior worlds and European athletes who have competed for Mic Mac AAC. Mike Wadel also competed in the 1999 Worlds.

Head coach Trevor Marshall said that he has put in more than 15 athletes on the last three Canada games.

"We've had over 30 different athletes that have been named to our provincial teams in just the last five years alone," said Marshall. "And since I have been head coach in 1995 I've won in every war canoe race with the exception of senior mens war canoe. We have also won at least 20 plus titles."

So it is with an eye to the future and a salute to the past that Dartmouthians are invited to attend the celebration on Oct. 19, meet with old friends and take a peak at some of the memorabilia that will be on display. There may even be a few surprises to be pulled out of the hat for longtime supporters, said club president Blaine Abbott.

"Memories of those days have never left me, nor has the debt we owe to those pioneers who fostered such activity on our lakes," said Patterson. "Mic Mac and the other clubs are positioned in and on Dartmouth's principal playground, Lake Banook. Both paddling and rowing have had a long and rich history in Dartmouth sport and this will continue."

joanneoostveen@accesswave.ca