Welcome
The Itosu-Kai Karate & Kobudo Association Canada Spring 2023 National
Tournament is on and it is in picturesque Deep River, Ontario!
These pages will be updated frequently. Here you will find information about local accommodations, restaurants, attractions and activities.
A 2-hour drive north-west of Ottawa, Deep River is nestled between
Algonguin Park and Quebec. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Deep River had a population of 4,175 living in 1,866 of its 1,981 total private dwellings. For the outdoor enthusiast, Deep River offers hiking and bike trails,
and 100s of kms of snowmobile/4x4 trails. If you like to enjoy the water, Deep River is on the shores
of the Ottawa River where you can kayak, canoe, paddleboard, sail, motorboat and fish, or just hang out
on one of the beaches. For campers, there are campgrounds nearby, including a choice of 3 Ontario
Provincial Parks within about a 1-hour drive (Driftwood, Achray and Bonnechere).
For the indoor types, there are 4 hotels in Deep River as well as some in nearby Petewawa and Pembroke,
as well as cabins and some AirBnB.
See the Accommodations page for local establishments that are offering special rates for tournament participants.
There are two small museums in Deep River and one in Pembroke. One museum aims to capture Canada's nuclear heritage--Deep River is the home of Canada's nuclear pioneers. In fact, karate clubs near the Bruce Power Plant have their origins in the Deep River Karate Club, which in turn spawned from the Pembroke Karate Club. The Pembroke Karate Club was started by Bill Pinkerton who came to Pembroke after training under Shihan in Toronto.
Bringing small children along for the trip? There are two playgrounds a short walk from the tournament venue, Mackenzie Community School, for a quick break. The downtown area of Deep River, where there are convenience stores, dollar stores, groceries, pharmacies and more is also a short walk away. The public library is beside the venue which overlooks the Ottawa River. We'll provide information about things to do on the Around the Area page.
With the financial support from our sponsors, we are working on activities around the tournament. Watch the Tournament Program page for details as they become available.
Hosting the tournament in Deep River would not have been possible without the generous commitment of support from our sibling clubs in the Ottawa Valley: the Pembroke Karate Club and the Chapeau Karate Club, and of course, the Itosu-Kai Karate & Kobudo Association Canada.