In anticipation of the big day Paddle Canada's Building Committee met in the council chambers in the Town Hall of Merrickville the night before the timber frame for the building was erected. Many decisions were made, with Chairman John Eberhard and other committee members reviewing a lengthy agenda of mundane but important items from the colour of the roof to sewer pipes and landscaping details. Everyone in attendance was clearly focused on the building's site activity that was to begin at 7:00am the next morning.

Merrickville Councillor and Building Committee member Tim Malloy was present to remind us of the need to work out meeting schedules with the town recreation board. Contractor Ross Walton helped the committee make some difficult decisions related to site elevations, building wrap and wiring design modifications. President Kirk Wipper agreed to provide some personal artifacts to help set the interior design tone. Committee member Angela Marley provided some good advice on our need to be mindful that “canoeing is for everyone” with final site details for the accessibility requirements of the new national head office. Don Downing brought some practical advice on insulation detail and Executive Director Joe Agnew and Treasurer Gary Clarke assured us that we were on budget target.

Nearing midnight, members of the Building Committee were anxious to hit the sheets and be on the “Home for Canoeing” site for the early morning timber frame raising. As the meeting adjourned we were all reminded of the many meetings chaired and attended by Ron Johnstone during his 23 years of active service to Paddle Canada - and of the reason why the “Home for Canoeing” to be erected the next day would be called “The Ron Johnstone Centre”.

As the mist cleared over the Rideau on September 12, the busy noises of the construction crew from Pineridge Timber Frame Homes readied the heavy timbers for the crane to hoist the main spars. The moment arrived and many volunteers from Algonquin College, members of the Building Committee and local town folk watched and helped as crew boss Mike Mader guided the timbers into place. Frame by frame the structure rose on top of the building's foundation which will soon become the headquarters of the world's only national non-competitive, recreational, administrative canoeing and kayaking centre. It was a moving experience. The completed timber frame was capped with the traditional live pine tree to pay homage to the forest.