Premier Declares Charles Jago Northern Sports Centre Officially Open

By 250 News

    The $30.75 million dollar Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre is now officially open.

A thousand spectators were outfitted with yellow noodles to wiggle and waggle in the air to celebrate the opening which started with a procession into the gymnasium.

The march in of the VIP’s and athletes was reminiscent of the Olympic games.  Flag bearers carried flags into the gymnasium of the new Charles Jago Sport Centre this morning, ushering in the Premier, Mayor of Prince George and the President of UNBC.

Then some 250 athletes carrying banners from their respective organizations filled the gymnasium. The not only represented gymnasts,  past  medal winners at previous  Olympic, and commonwealth games,  UNBC athletes,  gymnasts, soccer layers, school boards, and the communities  which will also  benefit  from this facility. The scene stealers may well have been the Tiny Timberwolves, the children from the UNBC Childcare centre.

At right, carrying the flag for B.C. – Jacqui Benson, the UNBC flag was carried Jay Gladdish and the Prince George City Flag was carried by Lucas Blanche. (photo Opinion250 staff)

Premier Gordon Campbell opened his remarks saying he has never come to Prince George without having someone approach him with an idea that could make the north better.  Such a person was Charles Jago said the Premier.  “This is about leadership about a community’s vision and about partnership.” The Premier says it is a day to be celebrated   “This is a great day for British Columbia, it happens to be great day for Prince George, it happens to be a great day for the north, but it’s a great day for British Columbia.”

But the day was clearly Charles Jago’s.  When his presence was announced, the crowd would not stop applauding the former President of UNBC.  There was a standing ovation, and the crowd was not satisfied until Jago stepped from the back row and took a bow.   M.C., Deputy Premier Shirley Bond remarked “It is so typical of Charles Jago, always in the background when he should be front and centre taking the credit for which he is so deserving.”

Current UNBC President Don Cozzetto said to Jago “You were the person with the guts with the determination to get us here today.” Cozzetto related the story of Bill Lynch the Chair of the Sports Centre Committee, who carried a photo of a UNBC athlete who practiced basketball free throws in a converted squash court, a hoop nailed on the wall.  Lynch he said, carried a photo and presented it to everyone who would listen and told them it was not acceptable that northern athletes had to use a converted squash court.  Cozzetto says the   photo of the converted squash court will be placed in the entrance hall of the new Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre as a reminder of the roots of the facility

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