Surf | New waves in sight

Like a rising tide, the Quebec community of river surfers continues to expand. To meet its needs, initiatives are bubbling up, notably with the arrival of a new structure for indoor surfing, announced for 2025 in Quebec City, while Montreal enthusiasts are working on the creation of potential stationary waves in a natural environment.

Since 2020, the St. Lawrence has been overflowing in Montreal. The number of surfers it welcomes on its two permanent waves (the one behind Habitat 67 and the wave at Guy, in LaSalle) has seriously increased, lengthening the queues on the banks. So, when the Surf Grand Montréal association surveyed its 408 members, one of the most expressed aspirations was the creation of new sites in the river. “We knew it was going to be a major challenge,” says Jérémie Gauthier-Lacasse, vice-president and spokesperson for the organization, which set up a committee dedicated to this prospecting.

Even though the prospects for most of these areas have fallen through (generally for hydrographic reasons), including in Lachine, where the borough had expressed openness to a project, two options remain on the table to this day. The most promising: a sector of the Le Moyne channel, within Parc Jean-Drapeau. “Our committee approached the people at the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau, who were very open and are currently collaborating on the launch of a pre-feasibility study to assess the technical potential for a stationary wave. If the conclusions are favourable, the next steps would be a feasibility study, a public consultation and an environmental impact study,” says Mr. Gauthier-Lacasse, who insists on the fact that the process is still in its infancy. The Société du parc Jean-Drapeau, a “very valuable partner,” would also be ready to financially support the pre-feasibility study.

The other track, pointed out by the association committee, but to date flown over, remains a site in the vicinity of the RécréoParc de Sainte-Catherine.

In any case, Surf Grand Montréal knows that it is embarking on a long journey, marked by administrative and political procedures, and that a new wave will not arise overnight. “We are ready to commit and invest our time over several years to achieve this dream,” assures the vice-president.

Aloha Surf, or the end of soul-crushing waves

There are several stories of enthusiasts who gave up their somewhat dull jobs to live off surfing and fresh water. That of Laurent and Jean-François Paquin fits into this framework, but in a much more particular way. The former was a homicide investigator, the latter worked in IT. However, in their native Gaspésie, there is a very friendly place on the banks of the Bonaventure River: Malin Beach, where families meet to have a good time and play in the waves of the rapids – which are not surfable. “It’s a gathering place that we wanted to recreate in Quebec City,” summarizes Laurent. “But with the temperature, we needed an indoor site. That’s how we came up with the idea of ​​opening an indoor surfing centre.”

With a third partner, Raphael Provost, and the advice of the owner of Oasis Surf, which offers the same kind of experience in Montreal (with different technology), the duo has acquired premises and will inaugurate Aloha Surf in the fall of 2025. With a wave that is likely to make… waves.

The whole thing will be based on the latest technology (FlowSurf), which can be seen at work in Lyon, France: the size and force of the blade of water are entirely adjustable, with changes in angle to adapt to the surfer’s level and weight. Stationary, it will offer conditions that are closer to river surfing than its ocean variant, and should be able to accommodate an eminently large audience.

“The wave may seem imposing at first glance, but we want the average Joe to be able to do the activity. We’ve visited surf centers abroad and seen children as young as 7 or 8, as well as people over 70, doing it. You don’t even need to know how to swim or surf,” says Laurent Paquin, who is immediately at ease on this wave, while he describes his brother and himself as “not so great surfers.”

Aloha Surf will also bring together other activities under its roof, such as a pub-restaurant, a mini-golf course, a fitness center and wellness services (massage therapy, cryotherapy, etc.). In short, by 2025, homicide investigations and computer keyboards will have been swept far away by the aquatic waves.

Visit the Surf Grand Montréal website

Visit the Aloha Surf website

Create a wave?

Natural river waves are formed by underwater relief. But how can you create them? You don’t need to be called Moses to make water fluctuate: various techniques can be used to create standing waves in a natural environment. But it all depends on the configuration of the site. “It’s a case-by-case basis, depending on the environment. We monitor what’s being done elsewhere, different technologies exist. In Alberta or Oregon, for example, we find ramps that can be adjusted according to the flow of water. It can also be a concrete slab to create an eddy on the surface,” explains Jérémie Gauthier-Lacasse.