2013 Gananoque Poker Run / Rendez-Vous Gananoque, Aug 16-18.
Gananoque Poker Run 2013 SCHEDULE
Launch Ramp: Downtown at Kate St. and St. Lawrence St.
Friday August 16th, 2013
- 2:00pm – 6:00pm Registration
Saturday August 17th, 2013
- 8:00am – 9:00am Registration
- 9:00am CARD #1 Clarion Inn – Drivers Meeting.
- 11:00am Gananoque Municipal Marina – Start
- 11:30am CARD #2 Williams Marina
- 12:00pm CARD #3 Rockport Boathouse Country Inn – Lunch – Wild Card Draw
- 3:30pm CARD #4 Gananoque – Gordon’s Marina – Off the rocks
- 5:30pm CARD #5 Clarion Inn – Awards Dinner
For more information and to register call 1-800-354-9145 ext 252.
IMPORTANT! PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES THAT HAVE TO BE MADE TO THE GANANOQUE POKER RUN ENTRY FORM:
- Entry fee is $295.
- Additional crew $75 per person
- Limited dockage available at $55 plus tax – PLEASE CONTACT Nancy at 800-354-9145 ext 223 by Thursday Aug. 15 to reserve your spot.
- Participants without reserved docks may launch prior to the Poker Run and tie-up in the VIP area.
coordinator@pokerrunsamerica.com
Poker Runs America / APRA event. For more information and to register call 1-800-354-9145 ext 252.
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2013 1000 Islands Kingston Poker Run, Aug 9-11.
Saturday August 10th, 2013
8:30am CARD #1 will be given to each driver at the Drivers Meeting.
10:00am Depart Kingston
11:15am CARD #2 Prescott The Entire CITY of PRESCOTT ONTARIO WELCOMES US! SHAKESPEARE OUTDOOR FESTIVALE! There will be a WILD CARD played..light refreshments and a snack will be served to the drivers.
12:45pm Depart Prescott
1:00pm CARD #3 Brockville LUNCH STOP BROCKVILLE Municipal Harbour, “RIBFESTIVALE” in Hardy Park. 92 Octane Fuel available here.
2:45pm Depart Brockville
3:00pm CARD #4 Gananoque (Card in Fishnet from the Dock)
3:15pm Depart Gananoque
3:30pm CARD #5 Kingston Marina – dock and pick up card.
6:30pm BANQUET and AWARDS DINNER
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Gananoque Poker Run Still a ‘Go’
ONE WEEK AFTER GANANOQUE PULLED THE PLUG ON HOSTING A POKER RUN — IT SEEMS THE EVENT IS BACK ON THE SUMMER CALENDAR.
from CKWS Newswatch Newsroom
7/25/2013
THE TOWN SAID IT DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO ORGANIZE THE EVENT.
BUT OFFICIALS WITH “POWER RUNS AMERICA” SAY THE BIG BOATS WILL RETURN IN MID-AUGUST.
NEWSWATCH’S PAUL SOUCY EXPLAINS WHAT HAPPENED.
LIKE MANY COMMUNITIES ALONG THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER – GANANOQUE’S POKER RUN IS A FOCAL POINT OF
SUMMER TOURISM.
BUT THIS YEAR THE TOWN DECIDED TO WALK AWAY FROM THE YEARLY EVENT AFTER A BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION CAUSED BY STEEP DEMANDS…
Sue Smith:
“Asking for 40 slips for parking and for 40 vehicles and trailers as well as to help them organize the entire event.”
Demchuk:
“It’s just a lot of juggling, and a lot of work – for them to expect us to do that wasn’t proper.”
POKER RUNS AMERICA AND POWER BOATS CANADA AGREE BUT AREN’T WILLING TO WALK AWAY FROM THE EVENT.
TO TAKE PRESSURE OFF THE TOWN, THEY HAVE SINCE DECIDED TO HOST AND ORGANIZE THE EVENT THEMSELVES.
[“Everything remains the same as usual, as it would have been except that there will be a small charge for the drivers to pay for the docks. It’s unfortunate because they come to town and put a show on..”RESIDENTS ARE ALSO GLAD THE TOWN STILL GETS TO HOST THIS YEARS EVENT.
Streeters:
“When we’re out camping we like to sit out there and watch them in the Afternoon. Nice weather and enjoy the run.”
“very exciting – and I think everybody is exited about it. everyone out in their boats…the noise…the beautiful boats. ya it’s pretty cool.”
“It’s good for business I can tell you that much. I work at a hotel so it brings lots of people through.”
ORGANIZERS SAY THIS YEARS EVENT HAS TURNED OUT TO BE A WIN WIN FOR GANANOQUE — AS THEY STILL GET THE TOURISM DOLLARS FROM THE POKER RUN, WITHOUT HAVING TO LOSE OUT ON MOORING FEES.
PAUL SOUCY CKWS NEWSWATCH GANANOQUE.
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Gananoque has turned down a request from Poker Run Canada to hold a Rendezvous event at the town’s marina in August.
from Gananoque Reporter. By Wayne Lowrie
Tuesday, July 23, 2013 1:12:59 EDT PM
Sue Smith, the town’s recreation manager, said the run’s organizers were “very ill-prepared” and were making a last-minute request demanding about $5,000 in free services from the town.
In the past, Poker Run Canada has held the event at the marina in July. This year, the town made repeated attempts to find out if the organizers wanted to do the event again in July, but they didn’t respond to the town’s requests, Smith told town council. Then a poster appeared advertising the event for July 19 and 20th, without the town’s knowledge or permission, she said. That same poster said the Gananoque Lions Club would be involved, but the club had not been contacted by the organizers and knew nothing of the July poker run, she said. The Lions refused to participate.
Smith told the organizers that they couldn’t hold the July poker run because they hadn’t informed the town or asked for council approval.
Poker Run Canada’s response was to request the alternate dates on Aug. 16 to 18.
Smith said the organizers were demanding 40 complimentary slips at the marina and free parking for 40 trucks and trailers. They also wanted the town to provide them with volunteer water marshals, arrange for police enforcement and ambulance support and to line up a charity group to prepare a BBQ dinner for the participants.
Most council members appeared appalled at the demands. Mayor Erika Demchuk said it appeared the Poker Run people wanted somebody to do all the work and then cruise off with all the money. It’s not up to the town to do their organizing, she said.
Councillors noted that this is not a charity poker run such as the Performance Boat Club event that raised $2,000 for the Lions in June. Poker Run Canada is a profit-making company.
Coun. Joe Jansen said he had been involved in organizing charity poker runs for years. The events were organized by local volunteers and the money went to local charities, unlike this event, he said.
Councillors Roberta Abbott and Jan Hayes agreed to deny the request for the August date, but said the town should be open to allowing the group back in the future. Abbott said it is a “useful event” that draws a lot of participants and onlookers to Gananoque. The town should inform the organizers that it is willing to consider future events, she said.
Bill Taylor, president of Poker Run Canada, said he was disappointed to hear of the town’s decision when informed of it by the Gananoque Reporter.
“Gananoque could use the boost, it’s a good event for the town,” he said.
Taylor said his group would try to stage the event in Gananoque nevertheless, by perhaps getting boat slips in Prescott or somewhere else.
“We’ll see … I’ve got to make some calls,” Taylor said.
Taylor said Poker Run Canada has had a good year so far with successful events in Belleville and Hawkesbury that brought a lot of money into those towns.
He said his company would be open to considering staging events in Gananoque in the future.
From CKWS news site July 17th 2013
A Popular summer event won’t be held in Gananoque this year.
DUE TO NEGOTIATION ISSUES — THE TOWN HAS DECIDED TO WALK AWAY FROM THE ANNUAL POKER RUN CANADA EVENT.
THE BOAT RACE HAS RUN THROUGH THE THOUSAND ISLANDS THE PAST THREE SUMMERS. BUT THIS YEAR – POKER RUN REPRESENTATIVES HAD ASKED TOWN COUNCIL TO ORGANIZE THE EVENT IN UNDER A MONTH.
Sue Smith:
“There is not sufficient time for them to put together a quality event to host. Because August is an extremely busy month for us it would be very difficult for us to clear 40 slips.”
Erika Demchuk:
“Now we’ve lost that tourism dollars that are coming in. They’ve made a special effort to say ‘we’re going to stop at Gananoque and park our boat’ but now we have to turn them away.”
Could be some very confused visitors around, as of today July 17th the Gananoque Poker Run 2013 is still listed on Poker Runs America website, on Power Boating Canada site, and probably several more.