City Gets Boost In Winter Games Bid

Saturday, February 27, 2010 04:30 AM

Prince George, B.C. - The City of Prince George is once again on a level playing field in the tight race to win the bid to host the 2015 Canada Winter Games...

The city needed School District 57 to step on-side and agree to a two-week spring break for students, coinciding with the 2015 Games, should Prince George be the successful bidder.

The two other cities in the running -- Kamloops and Kelowna -- have already secured such assurances from their school districts.

At this week's school board meeting, trustees unanimously endorsed the motion, but not before Lois Boone expressed some concern that the issue had not been vetted by SD57's Calendar Committee first. Secretary-Treasurer, Bryan Mix, cited time constraints in pulling committee members together and he pointed out that the committee changes year over year...and this involved making a decision five years down the road.

Trustee Roxanne Ricard said she would support the move because she didn't want to see the school district hinder the city's application. Boone said that wasn't her intention either, but she said, "Once we pass this resolution, there is no doubt it (a two week spring break) will happen, it will be a foregone conclusion."

Board Chair, Lyn Hall, was concerned the board's resolution might not go far enough in supporting the city's bid, but he was assured by the secretary-treasurer that it mirrored the resolution passed by the school district board in Kelowna.

The 2015 Canada Winter Games will be the single biggest multi-sport event that year...and will coincide with the City of Prince George's centennial anniversary.

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Posted on Saturday, February 27, 2010 04:30 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: wavoes on February 27 2010 7:07 AM

We can start our own sport....POT HOLE jumping!!!

Posted by: seamutt on February 27 2010 8:22 AM

Soooo where is the money coming from. Lets have the businesses that are behind this idea put up the money first. I thought the city is broke?

Posted by: bowzone_mikey on February 27 2010 8:33 AM

ahh we'll get the money from the Olympic legacy fund ;)

LMAO ... I almost typed that with a straight face

Posted by: giterdun on February 27 2010 10:15 AM

Lets have the proponents speak out in favor and state their case.......HELLO! is anybody out there? Who voted for this BS? It would be acceptable if times were strong, all infrastructure was in good shape and there was money in the bank but last time I checked it was not. To waste one minute on this idea is totally irresponsible at this time. We will all have a sore a$$ after we find out about $$$VANOC$$$. Time to let it heal before subjecting it to more pain. I am getting tired of these democratically elected dictatorships.

Posted by: ski50 on February 27 2010 10:18 AM

My understanding is why have to spend $400,000 just to put our name in the hat. Come on, let's be serious. Kamloops and Kelowna are way better places to hold these games. Keep the 400k and let them lose their shirts on another ill-fated mega sports event.

Posted by: DPJ on February 27 2010 10:42 AM

this will be good in advertising Prince George to invest in and visit.

Posted by: realitycheck on February 27 2010 11:31 AM

I'm in 110% support of bidding on the Winter Games. I know many hundreds of people who are as well but those are only folks I know which is a pretty small sample. Can't speak for folks I don't know.
I've been to a couple Canada Games and seen the impact they've had on cities first hand...I also know many of the people involved in hosting the past few Games and the feedback from the communities AFTER the Games has been overwhelmingly positive and the REAL economic impact has been enormous.
You all are entitled to your opinion and I respect that however I'd urge you to do some research before you write this off.

Posted by: acopolympics on February 27 2010 12:46 PM

Dont worry, PG doesn't have a hope in hell in getting these games when up against lower mainland bedroom communities such as Kamloops and Kelowna.

Posted by: Superheated Steam on February 27 2010 1:31 PM

Yes let's spend more money we don't have.

Posted by: MrPG on February 27 2010 2:35 PM

If we had a realistic chance of hosting the games, I'd be in support of it. But I can't see us being favoured over Kamloops or Kelowna as others have noted.

Posted by: Mr. PG on February 27 2010 4:55 PM

Let's withdraw our bid immediately. We have no hope of winning, and mayor Dan is simply wasting taxpayer's money .... AGAIN!

Posted by: detoe43 on February 27 2010 6:46 PM

Some facilities can be built or upgraded,
but where would they hold the alpine skiing & snowboarding events? Is there a distance restriction? Powder King is the only ski hill with the vertical that could come close to what is required for these events.
What about downtown PG? I guess athletes could gather & compare rope burns from where their medals use to hang.
Those are the two largest obstacles I can see. Kamloops revitalized their downtown years ago, that would be the logical choice.

Posted by: Palopu on February 27 2010 7:21 PM

City Council and some people in Prince George have been playing games for years. Especially with our tax dollars.

I think its time to take a break. Lets get back to the more mundane things like Garbage collection, paving roads, water, sewer, Policing, etc;

Its time that we quit trying to be big shots. Remember what Robbie Burns the poet said, something to the effect

**If only God would give us the gift to see ourselves as others see us.**

We live in a dream world,

This City has no tourist attractions. Most of the Hotels and Motels are border line at best. Most Restaurants not much better. The town stinks, of pulpmill.

We do have some facilities like the Coliseum, CN Centre, Swimming :Pools,Curling Rinks, but no facilities for outdoor Winter Sports except the Otway Trails. We could end up getting the Speed Skating Oval built which would be a benefit to about 100 people after the games, and maybe an atheletes village that could be turned into a Seniors centre, or a place for low cost housing, but thats about it.

With any luck at all the games will go to Kelowna, or Kamloops. If we get them, then hopefully there are a hell of a lot of people who are willing to volunteer a lot of time to try and make them successful.

Posted by: woodwoman on February 27 2010 9:55 PM

Great idea for the school district - support staff who are hourly employees will lose 2 weeks wages while salaried employeees - administrators /exempt will enjoy a perk - 2 weeks wages but do not have to work.

Posted by: saywhat on February 28 2010 8:42 AM

Let them have the 2 weeks off.
The way the school admins are talking there wont be any students left in the district anyway.

we will still have all the admin staff,just no students.