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John M.S. Lecky UBC Boathouse

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Last reviewed: August 10, 2026 | Richmond | Wedding Banquet Halls |

Business status: Active.

Last reviewed: August 10, 2026. Business status: Active.

Last reviewed: August 10, 2026. John M.S. Lecky UBC Boathouse is a Richmond waterfront wedding venue with official wedding-specific information, published rental rates and a direct booking process. The confirmed official site identifies it as a fully floating facility on the Fraser River and presents weddings as a dedicated service.

The venue is operated within the UBC Boathouse identity and is distinct from its rowing and paddling uses. This profile relies on current pages at ubcboathouse.com for its location, wedding features, rates and contact details; the older listing details were not used as evidence.

Services and specialization

The official wedding page describes indoor and outdoor options for a ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. The venue’s wedding offering centres on an event hall, expansive dock space, adjoining patio and fireside lounge rather than a packaged food-and-beverage service.

For the event space, the venue lists facility tables and chairs with set-up and take-down, WiFi in the event hall, a built-in PA system with microphone, a ceiling-mounted projection system, smart TV, servery kitchen, shared lower-dock access for cocktail hour, and an on-site event attendant. It also publishes a preferred-vendor directory spanning categories such as catering, décor, music, photography, transportation and wedding planning.

Wedding ceremony, cocktail hour and reception configurations
Indoor event hall plus outdoor dock and patio areas
Venue equipment and furnishings listed by the operator
Preferred-vendor information; confirm whether any supplier is required for the chosen plan

Service area and who it may suit

The physical venue is at 7277 River Road in Richmond, on the Fraser River. The official site positions it near Richmond and Vancouver International Airport, while UBC Recreation identifies it as a Richmond mixed-use venue supporting rowing and paddling programs as well as events and weddings.

It may suit couples seeking one venue for both ceremony and reception, particularly where a waterfront setting and a combination of indoor and outdoor spaces matter. The published capacity is 20 to 150 for seated functions and up to 180 for standing cocktail receptions. Couples planning numbers outside those ranges should ask the venue what layouts remain feasible before treating the site as a fit.

Richmond location on the Fraser River
20–150 seated guests; up to 180 standing cocktail guests
Relevant to Richmond, Vancouver and airport-area guest logistics, subject to each couple’s travel plan

Confirmed strengths and practical limitations

Documented strengths are practical features rather than subjective claims: the building is fully floating; the wedding page lists floor-to-ceiling glass walls, mountain and river views, ramp access and an on-site lift. It also states that the venue can provide flexible floor-plan arrangements and complimentary planning appointments.

The official information also gives clear operating constraints to factor into a timeline. Guests must depart by 1 a.m., and vendor clean-up must be completed by 2 a.m. Access is by appointment only. Parking is described as free along River Road in three-hour zones, so couples should confirm parking needs, signage and timing for their own guest count rather than assume onsite event parking.

Accessibility information: ramp access and on-site lift
Published end-of-night and clean-up deadlines
Appointment-only access and street-zone parking require advance planning

Pricing

Current pricing is explicitly published. For 2026 bookings, the listed eight-hour rental rates are $3,000 to $6,500, depending on season and day of week. For bookings from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2028, the listed eight-hour rates are $3,150 to $6,825. Additional hours are listed at $150 per hour.

The rates page also lists a $1,500 non-refundable, non-transferable deposit for Monday–Thursday wedding or event bookings and $2,500 for Friday–Sunday bookings. It identifies a required special-event-insurance cost of $40–$300, plus SOCAN/Resound music tariffs of $46 for music only or $92 for music and dancing. The operator says rates and seasonal packages may change, so obtain a current written estimate for the selected date, time block and event plan.

Published rates are based on an eight-hour event block
Set-up and take-down time must be included in the rental timeline
Outstanding balance is listed as due 60 days before the rental date

Contact and booking

For venue-rental enquiries, the official contact page lists 604 827 2011 and info.ubcboathouse@ubc.ca. Staff availability for phone and email is listed as Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekend and statutory-holiday contact is by appointment. The venue also notes that evening appointments for tours, planning meetings and rehearsals are available twice weekly by email booking.

The published process asks couples to check the calendar or place a courtesy hold, tour the venue and then submit the booking form. After submission, the venue says it will send a rental contract within five business days; the applicable deposit is due within 24 hours of receiving the rental agreement and payment instructions.

Venue rentals: 604 827 2011
Event enquiries: info.ubcboathouse@ubc.ca
Official booking inquiry and booking-form routes are available on the website

What couples should confirm

Confirm the date against the live calendar and ask how rowing or other shared-site activity affects lower-dock access, washrooms, change rooms and event timing. The wedding page labels several of these spaces as shared. Also clarify the exact ceremony, cocktail-hour and reception layout, the rental start and end times, and how vendor set-up and take-down fit within the booking.

Ask for the final fee schedule, insurance requirement, music tariff applicability, staffing scope, catering arrangement and vendor rules in writing. If using a preferred caterer, ask whether the stated waiver of the $1,000 galley fee applies to the planned booking. For a rehearsal, verify its date and confirmation process: the site describes one complimentary one-hour rehearsal during business hours, with tentative booking up to 60 days ahead and confirmation two weeks before the wedding.

Date availability and courtesy-hold terms
Shared-space access and dock use
Final floor plan, vendor requirements and all fees
Rehearsal timing and confirmation

Continue planning

Frequently asked questions

What wedding guest capacity does John M.S. Lecky UBC Boathouse publish?

The official wedding page lists seated functions from 20 to 150 guests and standing cocktail receptions for up to 180 guests.

Can a couple hold the ceremony and reception at the UBC Boathouse?

Yes. The official wedding page describes indoor and outdoor options for ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. The final layout and timing should be confirmed directly with the venue.

What is included with the event space?

The operator lists tables and chairs with set-up and take-down, WiFi, PA equipment with microphone, projection equipment, a smart TV, servery kitchen, shared lower-dock cocktail-hour access and an event attendant. Ask which items apply to the specific rental.

How does wedding booking work?

The official process calls for checking availability or placing a courtesy hold, touring the venue and submitting a booking form. A rental contract is then sent within five business days, followed by the required deposit.