CKC mourns the loss of Roger Parsons

Jan

It is with great sadness that Canoe Kayak Canada recognizes the passing of Roger Parsons, a legendary member and pioneer of the Canadian whitewater paddling community.

While the paddling community remembers his enthusiasm and dedication for whitewater paddling, Roger became involved in paddling as a young man through people he met climbing and through membership in the Toronto Chapter of the Alpine Club of Canada. He was an avid climber, with many climbs in the Canadian West, as well as the Alps, Africa and Himalayas. in 1972, he had a first ascent on Mt. Ellis in the Clemenceau-Chaba Icefield in one of the most remote areas of the rockies. He also has the first documented ice climb of Eagles Nest Cliff in Bancroft, Ontario. Most of his climbing exploits remain unknown to many who knew him as a paddler. An example of this is after wrapping up as Team Manager following the 1977 Slalom and Downriver World Championships in Europe, he went off to climb the Matterhorn – solo.

Roger was a long-time scout leader and founding member of the Mohawk Rod and Gun Club and the Ontario Voyagers Kayak Club, both of which staged many whitewater races over the years including the Credit River Race and the Humber River Canoe race. He loved paddling; his passion for the sport was immeasurable. As a leader in 4th Weston Scout Troop, he introduced many Venturers (older scouts) and Rangers (older guides) not only to whitewater paddling but everything that went along with it. He was generous with his time, promoting paddling amongst other scout groups, as well as his own. He taught them to build their own boats and paddles. He held training sessions in swimming pools, hung gates, and rough camped at race sites always putting safety first. Near his home in Weston, he established a slalom training site nearby on the Humber River. He introduced many youth to the sport of whitewater paddling and racing, while also instilling his personal values and ethics into those youth. His love of the outdoors encompassed whitewater paddling and many other aspects of outdoor adventure. Some of these young people went on to race internationally. Roger himself raced in C1 slalom and downriver at World Championships. He also raced C2 mixed with his daughter, Kathy, at the 1969 World Championships. They paddled the “Centennial” C-2 he designed – one half of which hangs on a wall in the building at the Gull River. He was always seen participating in spring river runs around his Toronto area home, on the Credit, the Humber, and Oakville Creek.

He was the visionary who steered the foundation of the Canadian Whitewater Affiliation, which later merged into the Canadian Canoe Association, becoming what is now Canoe Kayak Canada. Roger organised the first Whitewater National Championships in Elora Gorge, Ontario in 1967, after having been part of the first National Team to attend World Championships in Spittal, Austria in 1965. Roger gained a seat on the ICF Slalom Committee. He helped train and maintain a core of ICF qualified judges across Canada which helped facilitate many international races being held across the country.

Today, Roger’s name is synonymous with the Minden Whitewater Preserve ( MWP). In 1977 he saw a “for sale” sign across the river on the upper rapids of the Gull River in Minden. This inspired him to fundraise to purchase the land for what was the Ontario Wild Water Affiliation. Subsequently, the river was modified and with further fundraising, he undertook constructing the building. The MWP became a paddling centre for training, camping, and hosting events both nationally and internationally. Thousands of adults and camp kids have learned whitewater paddling on the Gull River. The site has hosted dozens of events, including annual regional slalom races, Provincial, National and Pan American Championships as well as World Cups. More recently Roger was in attendance when the site was used as a venue for slalom competition in the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games.

In 2008, the Gull River training centre building was renamed the “Roger Parsons Centre” in his honour and in 2013 a book titled “Building a River…Following A Dream: The Roger Parsons Story” was published telling the story of how Roger was inspired by an idea and made it happen, creating a legacy for years to come.

After Roger retired, he and his wife Dorothy (also an ICF judge), moved to the Barrie area, building a house in nearby Midhurst. Never one to be idle, and as an avid skier, he built a network of ski trails around the neighbourhood. He became a fixture at the Barrie Canoe and Kayak Club participating in canoe and sea kayak trips.

Roger was a giant amongst the pioneers of whitewater paddling in Canada. As a result of his efforts a great many people learned and continue to learn the joys of paddling and racing whitewater. His dedication, vision, creativity, and passion for the sport have left a lasting legacy and an example of a life well lived.

Our heartfelt condolences are extended to Roger’s family, friends and everyone who knew him.

A celebration of life in memory of Roger Parsons will take place on Saturday, April 5^th, 2025 from 10am to 12pm at the Steckley Gooderham Funeral Home, 30 Worsley Street, Barrie, ON