Welcome to the Westmeath & District Recreation Association Website
As you move through the website, we hope that our sense of pride in our community and our dedication to making this a fantastic place to live shows. We want it to.
The WDRA is the all-volunteer group providing recreational and community activities for the citizens of the northern section of the Township of Whitewater Region in the Upper Ottawa Valley of Ontario. Click on Map to see the “Thumbs Up”.
We are very active and welcoming. The hub is the handicap accessible Westmeath Recreation Centre housing an Arena, a Community Hall, and the adjacent Ball Diamond. With plenty of parking, well maintained arena ice surface and change rooms, and full catering and bar facilities in the well appointed modern auditorium/banquet Hall; this Recreation Centre is the heart of the community.
Browse through this website and revisit it often. Bookmark it for your convenience. Or better yet, if you are in our area, check our Map section and come out to one of our events and say G’Day. You’ll find the warmest of welcomes.
Something for Everyone
The programs and activities shown on the Events Calendar prove that we have many, varied interests and enjoyments. And the Sports Calendar is loaded with opportunities to play a sport yourself, or cheer on your team. The house hockey teams proudly wear the Westmeath Warriors colours. And in summer the ball diamond resounds to the crack of a bat on a softball. These boys and girls, and their coaches, would love your support.
All these activities need lots of willing Volunteers – if you can give some time, you’ll find it very rewarding.
The Town Crier of old announced special news to his town or community and so does our electronic Town Crier, but without the “Oyez, Oyez, Oyez” call and the hand bell ringing. The Town Crier will tell you of items not in the monthly Newsletter and information that needs your special attention.
Our monthly WDRA Newsletter updates the whole community of the upcoming “can’t miss it” events. New ideas for events are always being sought… please submit what you think would be a great event on our Contact Us link.
The Business Directory will become a useful tool giving you a fast connection to area businesses and services noted for their top notch products and customer satisfaction. Some businesses have been extremely supportive of the WDRA, with billboards erected in the Arena and ads running in the Monthly Newsletter. If you are interested in Advertising your business in any of those ways, please Contact Us.
Free wireless internet connection is available to the community both inside and outside the building. Cottagers or residents without internet access are welcome to make use of this at any time.
Westmeath may not have an internet cafe but we do have the Recreation Centre – a great place to make all sorts of connections!
Hockey Heritage Moments: For as long as there has been a sheet of ice in this community, someone has picked up a hockey stick. Westmeath, La Passe and Perretton citizens have been infected with this great Canadian passion. Read about our hockey heritage in History.
The History section also includes general history of the area and attention has been paid to the many people who make our history come alive.
Planning an Event? We Can Help You Change Your Ideas Into Reality: From Renting Ice Time to the Perfect Venue for Your Special Occasion
Individuals and groups wanting to host events, find that the Westmeath Recreation Centre provides a high quality product at a great price, – and rental bookings for hockey practices or full tournaments, a skating party, wedding receptions, trade shows, pick-up ball games, a family reunion, musical concerts, business meeting or any other use that you can think of….. can be easily organized. Check out the Rental Rates Brochure for further details.
Connections Never Severed
The historic Westmeath Township, (until amalgamation to become part of Whitewater Region in 2001), has seen much change since its beginnings in the early half of the 19th Century, with generations of young men and women spreading out across the globe. Maybe on the web, extended family members will read about their forbearers in our History section. Remember to alert family and friends who live elsewhere that this website will keep them up-do-date and connected with “home”.
Constitutionally Speaking, the Mission Carries on
The official title “Westmeath and District Recreation Association” was given in 1974, with the adoption of the original Constitution. That Constitution was drafted by Izett McBride, Edgar White and the late Bob Bromley, and what they and many others started then, is still thriving today.
Rink Committees had been a part of the community for decades, but in ’74 it was time to think bigger, and build a Banquet Hall as well as a Rink. To read all about the demolition of the old rink and the genesis of the new complex, click on History.
The first Objective of the 1974 Constitution was “To promote and sponsor activities that relate to sports, hobbies, leisure time activities and generally make this a fun place to live.” We still see this objective as very worthy.
Today that First Constitutional Objective is reflected in the current WDRA Mission Statement:
“We are a non-profit community governed organization, whose purpose is to support the people of our community in meeting their recreational, athletic and social needs; to achieve the best possible community spirit and wellbeing.”
At the April2012 Annual General Meeting the general membership accepted, ratified and confirmed a new revised Constitution for the organization; modernizing current names, useages and titles. To read the full Constitution document please click: WDRA Constitution (2012 Revised).
The 1975 WDRA Crest: This crest was introduced by the first WDRA Executive and beautifully rendered on a featured float in the Westmeath Days Parade of that year. It was used on hockey jerseys and other articles including beer mugs throughout the seventies and eighties. It has been augmented in 2011 by the new logo you’ll see in the Home Page banner of this website and on all current WDRA official documents.
Following the Money Trail –
A Dollar a Year Lease
Did you know that the WDRA hall/arena complex is actually owned by the Township of Whitewater Region, www.whitewaterregion.ca, and leased back to the WDRA at $1 per year, to run and manage? The same agreement goes for the Beachburg and Cobden arena facilities. This was the result of the provincial municipal amalgamations that took place back in 2001.
Further to that agreement, the Municipality provides each arena based organization (in our case the WDRA, a not-for-profit corporation), an annual grant of $12,500. (2010 amount.)
Generally a community in Ontario with a similar population and budget is lucky to have 1 ice arena complex, rather than 3. We are fairly unique in this regard. It offers great privileges but also heavy responsibilities. To run a business that costs over $150,000 per year, (2010 amount), requires extensive local participation through many volunteers, fundraisers and fair fee for services. Any significant capital asset costs require dependence on local appeals and/or government assistance programs.
Joey Trimm, Whitewater Region Councillor, addressed the WDRA in October 2010. He stated that the Township Council depends upon our organization to deliver the recreation budget in a manner that most benefits the health and well being of the residents. The WDRA is committed to that. The council is there to help in obtaining grants, provide advice and support in various ways regarding running the business, as well as providing funding in emergency situations. The local councillors have been tremendously helpful in this regard.
When Trouble Strikes – Preparedness Pays Off
The WDRA’s Mission Statement includes community well-being.
Under the Whitewater Region’s “Emergency Response Plan”, the municipality www.whitewaterregion.ca, has designated the use of the WDRA Community Recreation Centre as an emergency registration or reception and evacuation centre. According to the Plan, emergencies are defined as situations or impending situations caused by forces of nature, accident or an intentional act that constitutes a danger of major proportions to life and property. They affect public safety, meaning the health, welfare and property, as well as the environment and economic health of the Township of Whitewater Region.
Since the Recreation Centre is situated adjacent to the municipality’s Fire Hall in the Village of Westmeath, easier coordination in an emergency would occur. Our Whitewater firefighters are trained in life saving measures, but the WDRA hosts courses in CPR and other emergency health training for the general public.
Heart Defibrillator
An Automated External Defibrillator can serve the same purpose as an internal defibrillator but it is not implanted. They can only be used when a patient is suffering from cardiac arrest or severe heart fibrillation, since the electrical shock they produce can damage a beating heart.
Because it can take several minutes for an emergency responder to get to the scene and treat someone with their defibrillator, many communities are acquiring one. The WDRA has a portable unit at the Recreation Centre, and more and more locals are taking the training. It is a key piece of equipment in this community’s emergency response.