I had the opportunity to attend the sports tourism workshop last Friday.
The event, sponsored by the 2010 Legacies Now program and the Spirit of B.C. Sunshine Coast Community Committee, brought together government officials, sports groups and community stakeholders to discuss sports tourism and how the Sunshine Coast could benefit.
I'll have to admit, the idea of being at an all-day workshop starting at 7:30 a.m. on a Friday didn't appeal to me at first, but I'm glad I made the effort to take part.
The morning started with an interesting webcast from Prince George, site of a Legacies Now conference. The keynote speaker was Graeme Hicks, representing Albury Wodonga, Australia, a city located about six-and-a-half hours outside Sidney.
Hicks is considered by many to be the driving force behind the efforts to transform his city into a major training ground for Olympic athletes, both prior to the Summer Games and now after the games.
His main message was you don't need to spend thousands of dollars building facilities to attract competition. Use what you have first and develop opportunities for your community that can grow for years to come.
In processing that, I started to think what role the Sunshine Coast could play in attracting athletes before the 2010 Games in Vancouver.
Two thoughts came to mind: Dakota Ridge and the Gibsons Curling Club.
Dakota Ridge has the potential to be a destination outdoor recreation area for not only tourists but for major athletic competitions.
Jamie Mani from Alpha Adventures, who also attended the meeting, told me that the current snow level on Dakota Ridge is greater than that of an area in Alberta where a major skiing competition is set to take place next month.
Dakota Ridge is an untapped resource. With some creative thinking and government and business cooperation, Dakota Ridge could be a winter playground.
Hicks spoke about how his region played host to athletes from other countries for pre-games training.
With Dakota Ridge we could play host to a biathlon team or be a training ground for athletes.
The idea of hosting an Olympic curling team was also floated around the room. The Gibsons Curling Club is a nice facility. It needs a few upgrades, but the club has proven they can host major events. The Legion playdowns were held here last year, and the club has also hosted successful provincial and regional championships.
The energy in the room was positive and the ideas on how sports tourism could benefit the Coast were all worthwhile.
In the coming months, I hope those who attended Friday's workshop will encourage others on the Coast to get behind sports tourism and the Legacies Now opportunities.
We're doing our part to keep the community informed as well. Coast Reporter has just signed an exclusive media sponsorship deal with the local Spirit of B.C. Committee. In the weeks, months and years to come, we will be working closely with this committee to get out its messages and what role the Coast can play in the 2010 Games.
The opportunities are endless, and we have a real chance to be a part of the 2010 Games and reap its rewards. It's a chance we must take advantage of.
