1971

Dr. C. H. Bonnycastle

The Renforth Centennial Regatta - three days of fun on the Kennebecasis River to the east of Saint John - will be an integral part of Loyalists Days '71.

Highlight of the regatta will be four-man rowing races between crews from Canada and Britain in commemoration of the famous "Paris-Renforth" race in 1871, that gave the community its name.

Signs claiming "The British are Coming" already line Rothesay Avenue and the MacKay Highway.

Sailing competitions, swimming, scuba diving demonstrations, outboard motor show, canoe races, diving competitions, a steer roast, tug-of-war, bathtub race, fireworks, folk concert, teen pizza supper and skydiving demonstrations are among the events.

The three-day regatta will run from Friday to Sunday, July 30-Aug. 1, but the main day will be Saturday.

Planning for the community's centennial began long before it was decided the celebration would be part of the overall Loyalist Days celebration in Saint John.

Organizers for the two events realized early in 1971 that the celebrations compliment each other and the regatta was incorporated as part of the overall planning.

Dr. C. H. Bonnycastle, chairman of the community's regatta Committee, said the reenactment of the famous rowing race one hundred years ago is the heart of the celebration.

And since planning first began, the regatta has grown by leaps and bounds.

"We realize we have a much bigger show on our hands than we had when we started, but we're going to achieve it," he said.

Back on Aug. 23, 1871, about 25,000 people gathered on the banks of the Kennebecasis at the community of Chalet (now Renforth) to watch a return match between rowing crews from Tyne, England and Saint John.

The previous year the Saint John "Paris" crew had lost to the British during a race at Lachine, Quebec, and the local men were anxious to steal victory back.

Racing side-by-side along the six-mile course, the two crews neared the finish line as James Renforth, captain of the British crew, collapsed.

The local men sped across the finish line first and Renforth was carried ashore by other members of his crew. He died on the banks of the river a few moments later and the community's name was born.

Regatta organizers contacted the Tyne Rowing Association last year and received lively response to the suggestion of a return match.

Representing Canada will be crews from Dartmouth, N. S., and perhaps Ontario.

Dr. Bonnycastle is optimistic the race will generate enough enthusiasm to bring rowing back to the Kennebecasis on a full-time basis.

The regatta will kick off with a "teen day" on Friday highlighted by "orienteering" during the morning. Teens and pre-teens will take a skill test in running, thinking and planning, using maps and clues.

A record hop, pizza supper, folk concert and teen dance will round out Friday's regatta activities.

The big race will get underway Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and is expected to be one of the biggest crowd-drawers of the entire Loyalist Day celebration.

If the weather isn't right during the morning (a calm surface is required for a fast race), the event will be postponed until evening.

Sailing competitions, canoe racing, swimming and diving, scuba diving, tug-of-war, bathtub races, steer roast, end fireworks will be included during the rest of the day.

A marathon seven-mile race from downtown Saint John to Renforth will be run at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

The main regatta day will end with an adult dance at the Renforth Community Club featuring Doug Murphy and His Orchestra.

Sunday, an open-air church service will be held on the Renforth Wharf. A car rally ending at the club house will be the day's main event.

Some Loyalist Days events are scheduled in Saint John on Saturday but the participants in the celebration will all be urged to head for Renforth for the day's main events.

Dr. Bonnycastle said the scope of the regatta wouldn't be possible without the enthusiasm of Renforth's 1,500 people.

"The support of the community is very great. The committee called a community meeting at one point and, by to golly, 250 out of 800 families turned out. That's going some!"

That kind of response would be envied by any community and is the main reason the Renforth Centennial Regatta is heading for success.