July 23, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Note: Photos attached.
2024 World Rowing Championships unveil new Aligner Hut built by Niagara College trades students in partnership with the Niagara Home Builders Association
NC’s Broadcasting students, alumni will bring the championship in St. Catharines to the world via livestream this August.
As the City of St. Catharines gears up to host the world’s top rowers for the 2024 World Rowing Championships August 18-25, Niagara College (NC) and the Niagara Home Builders Association (NHBA) unveiled a new addition to the Royal Canadian Henley Rowing Course that will guarantee a fair start for athletes and leave a legacy for future competitions.
On July 23, partner organizations and members of local government – Deputy Mayor Bill Phillips, Regional Councilor Tim Rigby, MPP Jennie Stevens, and MP Chris Bittle – gathered for a ribbon-cutting for the Aligner Hut on Martindale Pond which marks the rowers’ starting line. The hut will house the Aligner, the official who oversees lining up the boats uniformly to ensure no rower has an unfair advantage.
The 10 by 10 enclosed structure was built and designed by students and faculty in NC’s Carpentry and Renovation Technician program, with materials donated by the NHBA.
“We are grateful to the Niagara College students for their outstanding design and construction of the new Aligner Hut, and to the Niagara Homebuilders Association for their generous donation of materials,” said Bill Schenck, Chair of St. Catharines World Rowing. “This hut is a great addition to the Henley Rowing Course and a fantastic legacy for the venue, and we can’t wait to show it off at the 2024 World Rowing Championships.”
“This project highlights Niagara College’s commitment to providing practical, impactful learning experiences that enhance our students’ skills and benefit our community,” said Fiona Allan, Vice-President, Academic at Niagara College. “We are grateful for the opportunity presented by the upcoming World Rowing Championships and for the Niagara Home Builders Association’s partnership in this initiative and their continued support of our skilled trades programs.”
“This project builds upon our longstanding partnership with Niagara College and is a testament to what trades students can do,” said NHBA CEO, Chuck McShane. “The Niagara Home Builders Association is honoured to see this Aligner Hut permanently affixed on these waters, serving as a representation of the continual commitment to our partners and surrounding community.”
Building the Aligner Hut
In May, NC carpentry professor Julian Ledonne, construction technologist Marco Giorgi, and students Manuel Perez, Kevin Huang, Linh Lawrenn, Rishi Loorkhoor and Landon Consonni spent several days building the parts in the lab in Welland. The cosmopolitan student team hail from Chile, Hong Kong, Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago, and St. Catharines. Djalol Hurmatov, a student in the Skills Development Fund-Construction Skill Program offered in partnership with NHBA, joined the team to assist with the assembly and finishing touches.
Perez, a recent graduate who received the Dean’s Award for the School of Trades at NC’s Spring 2024 Convocation, created the 3D CAD drawing according to World Rowing specs.
Once built, the individual parts were picked up by a boom truck and delivered to Henley Island where they were loaded by crane onto a floating barge and taken to the platform on Martindale Pond. The NC team then travelled by boat to assemble the structure, working within the confines of the platform surrounded by water.
Ledonne explained that the team wanted to create something long-lasting that could weather the elements. They chose a steel roof, durable and hearty wood panels, moveable panels in place of windows for function, and a steel door to ensure the structure can be used for years to come.
“It was a rewarding experience for the students to put their skills to the test in a real-world scenario,” said Ledonne, who estimates the team spent nearly 100 hours on the project. “It was a test of patience and their knowledge, and they felt a real sense of accomplishment from being part of the build from start to finish, from design to construction to execution on site on the water. They really wanted to be there and were happy to give their time to the project.”
Ledonne commended NC’s partners for making the project such a great experience for the students. “The team at Henley were so welcoming, and the NHBA were great to work with.”
Fourth term student Loorkhoor is grateful for the experience.
“It was amazing to be able to assist on the Henley Regatta project both on land and on the waters,” said Loorkhoor. “I appreciated the chance to utilize the skills and training given to me by Niagara College
Loorkhoor recognized his instructor Ledonne for making teaching moments out of mistakes. He learned the importance of space awareness, teamwork, and sharing tools when working in unique conditions of small platform surrounded by water.
Speaking to what drew him to carpentry, Loorkhoor said: “I like working with my hands and the housing industry will allow me to do this. Niagara college is giving me the knowledge and practical experience to further pursue this dream.”
Loorkhoor hopes to work under an experienced carpenter after graduation and credits his NC instructors for their mentorship.
“They go above and beyond.”
Broadcasting students, alumni to livestream the 2024 World Rowing Championships
Drawing from lessons learned from broadcasting the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, program coordinator Peter ‘Dutch’ VandenBerg tapped seasoned alumni Carter Hendriks (2022), Carter Vahrmeyer (2019), and Gabriel Klassen (2017) to lead a team of current Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film (BRTF) students and alumni through the livestream production of the 2024 World Rowing Championships – an experiential learning opportunity of a lifetime.
“The challenge with rowing is that it’s the biggest field of play, but we have a pretty adventurous plan on how we’re going to cover it,” said VandenBerg, whose students will also cover the 140th Royal Canadian Henley Regatta beginning July 28.
For the Worlds, the crew of 20 students and alumni will oversee a production with 18 cameras – including eight robotic cameras and one mounted to the new Aligner Hut – and several production spaces to cover the entire event from start to finish.
“The real-world experience at this caliber of event – a world-class championship at a world-class rowing facility – in the students backyard is second to none,” said VandenBerg.
From August 18-25, 2024, St. Catharines is set to welcome the world for the 2024 World Rowing Senior, Under 23 and Under 19 Championships at the historic Royal Canadian Henley Rowing Course. Known for its legacy in hosting major competitions, including two previous World Rowing Championships, the Henley Rowing Course will bring together 2,500 athletes from over 60 countries in what is the biggest and most important World Rowing event of the season. stcrowing2024.com.
Niagara College has a full-time enrolment of more than 11,000 students from over 95 countries, who study in 130 diploma, certificate and bachelor degree programs at specialized campuses in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Niagara College is also involved in educational projects and partnerships around the world and is consistently ranked among Canada’s top 10 colleges for research funding. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca.
Established in 1955, the Niagara Home Builders’ Association is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 155 member companies including: Builders, Developers, Renovators, Suppliers, Supplier/Trade Contractors, Manufacturers, and Allied Professionals. They continue to advocate on behalf of the residential building community, with a focus on promoting the skilled trades. For more information, visit: nhba.ca.
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Ribboncutting1: Front row (L to R): MP Chris Bittle, NC Carpentry instructor Julian Ledonne, CEO of the NHBA Chuck McShane, NC Vice-President, Academic, Fiona Allan, Honorary President of the 2024 World Rowing Organizing Committee and Regional Councilor Tim Rigby, MPP Jennie Stevens. Back row (L to R): NC students Linh Lawrenn, Landon Consonni, Kevin Huang, and Rishi Loorkhoor.
Ribboncutting2: Front row (L to R): MP Chris Bittle, NC Carpentry instructor Julian Ledonne, CEO of the NHBA Chuck McShane, NC Vice-President, Academic, Fiona Allan, Honorary President of the 2024 World Rowing Organizing Committee and Regional Councilor Tim Rigby, MPP Jennie Stevens. Back row (L to R): NC students Linh Lawrenn, Landon Consonni, Kevin Huang, and Rishi Loorkhoor.
Media inquiries, please contact:
Jessica Torok
Communications Consultant
Niagara College
Cell: 905-932-1520
jtorok@niagaracollege.ca
Vittoria Wikston
Marketing, Communications & Events
2024 World Rowing Championships
Cell: 905-321-5979
vwikston@sportniagara.ca
Alicia Dimitrov-Lawrence
Executive Officer
Niagara Home Builders Association
Cell: 905-646-6281
alicia@nhba.ca
