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Water sports venue offers sweeping marine vistas

The panoramic view of Ramsey Lake from the terrace at Sudbury’s Northern Water Sports Centre (NWSC) is unmatched by any other hall or conference centre in Sudbury.
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The centre’s terrace is the drawing attraction at the centre. Licensed for 60, the terrace also has a barbecue available for renters’ use.

The panoramic view of Ramsey Lake from the terrace at Sudbury’s Northern Water Sports Centre (NWSC) is unmatched by any other hall or conference centre in Sudbury, and it’s the key feature in drawing more organizations to hold their business functions at the newly built site.

A not-for-profit umbrella organization for the Sudbury Canoe Club, the Sudbury Rowing Club, and the Sudbury Dragon Boat Festival, the roughly $5-million centre opened in May after years of planning and fundraising.

Developing a central clubhouse allows the partners to expand their programs and offer a broader segment of the community a chance to participate in water sports. But to help generate revenues to keep the programs running, the upper-level banquet hall is available for rentals for everything from weddings and baby showers to business meetings and corporate sit-down dinners.

Since its opening, interest in the facility has been steady, and roughly 50 per cent of the bookings to date have been corporate, said Paula Morrow, the centre’s communications coordinator.

“We’ve had lots of corporate retreats,” she said. “A lot of our big donors, they get a free rental, depending on the amount they’ve donated, and they’re choosing to do a lot of retreats and meetings and AGMs (annual general meetings) here.”

A wide-open space conducive to various configurations, the hall includes a fireplace for cozy cold-weather gatherings and wall-to-wall vistas of the open water and surrounding Sudbury forest.

The capacity of the hall varies: when alcohol is being served, the hall can accommodate 87 people; without alcohol and with tables and chairs, it can accommodate 102, and without tables, it can fit 129.

The terrace, which overlooks the city’s second largest lake, is licensed for 60, and a barbecue is available for renters’ use.

The space includes a large, full-service kitchen, with a stove, fridge, sink and expansive counter space. Clients are required to provide their own cutlery, dishes, serving utensils, and cooking vessels. Some tables and chairs are available for use, but their numbers are limited.

Morrow said as the centre undertakes its next fundraising goal, stocking the hall and kitchen with those amenities is a priority.

“It is a little pricier to rent this hall, because you’re paying for the view and the brand-new building, and we know that the additional charge with bringing everything in sometimes deters people,” she said. “So, if we have everything to offer them, we’re hoping it’ll increase bookings.”

The centre has worked with a handful of local caterers, which are given special mention on the centre’s website, but Morrow said anyone is welcome to come in to the space.

“These were just people we’ve worked with before and they’ve been awesome,” she said. “We’ve reached out to a couple more to see if they want to come for a tour and are interested in bringing their clients here, because it’s just more business for us.”

The centre’s boardroom, also located on the second level, is additionally available for rental. It features a long table, which fits 14 chairs comfortably, a TV, and Wi-Fi, which is available throughout the building. A pull-down projection screen is ready for use in the hall, although renters must provide their own projector.

Just acquired by the centre is a brand-new sound system, which has mp3, radio, satellite radio and CD capabilities, and broadcasts both inside the hall and on the terrace. Used in tandem with the Sonos app, listeners can access thousands of radio stations. A mic is also on the centre’s wish list.

The centre is fully accessible, and when renters pick up the key, they also receive a key to the lift and a quick tutorial on how to use it. Three washrooms on the upper level are all accessible as well.

Morrow said teambuilding exercises aren’t offered through the centre itself, but for those who wish to take a paddling lesson and set out on the water following their meeting, they can contact one of the three groups directly to inquire about those services.

“The canoe club has a voyageur canoe, and they’ve brought businesses out in that before,” she said. “It’s a great teambuilding exercise.”

There are sponsorship opportunities available for businesses that want to form more permanent ties with the centre. The docks and boardroom have all been paid for by donors, who are then recognized with a plaque indicating their contributions. Morrow said the centre is still looking for sponsorship for its big bay doors.

For companies looking to give back to the community, investing in local water sports programming can be an ideal way to show their community support, and holding functions there gives them an up-close look at where their investment is going.

“It’s actually pretty neat to be up here and having a corporate retreat and then you see what you’re supporting out there; you see the para-rowers and you see the windsurfers,” Morrow said. “In the summer this place is crazy in the evenings; it’s awesome to see all those people out there on the lake.”