Building of the Canada Games

Building the

Canada Games

One community.

One vision.

Join us in celebrating everyone who helped build the 2015 Canada Winter Games.

FRIEND / AMI / T’EKE Jeux Du

Canada

Games

2015

Look inside for the 2015 Canada Winter Games ‘Friends of the Games’

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Table of Contents

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Getting behind the games..................................................... pg04

CEO Stuart Ballantyne has helped steer Prince George toward the biggest event in its history

Ice is nice................................................................................ pg08 Work at the outdoor oval has made it better than ever

Making the magic happen................................................. pg02 Volunteers bring the games to life

Air time.................................................................................... pg16 Upgraded Tabor Mountain all set for action

Built for speed........................................................................ pg18 Purden Ski Village had a blast getting set for Canada Winter Games

Recognizing our ‘Friends of the

Games’

We would like to take this opp ortunity to thank all the loca l and regional businesses for supporting the 2015 Can ada Winter Games. The Frie nds of the Games program has made history in Prince George, with over 150 partici pat ing sponsors. The 2015 Canada Winter Games have set a new standard for the FOG program. This does not come as a surprise as the Prince George and Northern BC business community always steps up when needed .

Thank You to all of our new friends in the Friends of the Games program! Your support will be appreciated and noticed by over 2400 young athletes who will be traveling here from coast to coast to coast of our nation.

Merci beacoup and thank you

very much!

The wow factor..................................................................... pg20 Kin Centre sure to turn heads during Games

Getting the games wasn’t an easy process................... pg24 Many people involved over many years to make it happen

Long road to the podium.................................................... pg27 Athletes have worked hard for shot at Canada Games glory

Major strides.......................................................................... pg31 Otway’s ski trails and biathlon range now meet international standards

Venue builders...................................................................... pg34 Four sponsors helped get the Games ready for the athletes

Available on-line at: www.pgcitizen.ca General Inquiries | 250-562-2441 Publisher | Colleen Sparrow Editor | Neil Godbout Reader Sales | Alan Ramsay Director of Advertising | Dave Smith Graphic Designer | Grace Flack

On the cover:

Callie Swan of the Prince George Blizzard speed skating club zips around Kin 1 ice last November. Kin 1, with its Olympic-sized rink, will host short track speed skating during the first week of the Canada Winter Games. Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

Stu Ballanytyne CEO

Melissa Layton Manager Sponsorship Programs

Allan Bristowe Sponsorship Representative

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Getting behind CEO Stuart Ballantyne has helped steer Prince George toward the biggest event in its history

the

by Jason Peters During his career, Stuart Ballantyne has taken on some major challenges. He has served as general manager of the Molson Indy Vancouver, GM of the 2006 World Junior Hockey Championship and the 2007 Memorial Cup, chief executive officer of the 2009 World Police and Fire Games and project director of Molson Canadian Hockey House during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

In August of 2011, Ballantyne started a new phase of his professional life when he was named CEO of the 2015 Canada Winter Games. Since that time, he has been overseeing preparations for the Games, which will run from Feb. 13 to March 1 in Prince George and will be the largest multisport and cultural event ever held in northern B.C. With the start of the Winter Games just days away, Ballantyne can’t believe how quickly the time has passed and he’s proud of the work that has been done to make them a reality.

“In three-and-a-half years, it feels totally like a year,” he said.

Games

“We haven’t adjusted the delivery of the Games from business plan to today dramatically and so we’re really encouraged by the progress that the team has made, that all the volunteers have made and the commitments made by local businesses and the major sponsors to get us where we are.”

From an administrative point of view, Ballantyne said the top priority was to make sure the 2015 Canada Winter Games were properly funded. With the City of Prince George, provincial and federal governments each contributing about $11.1 million to the cause, Canada Winter Games organizers had to generate about $10.5 million in donations and in-kind contributions to ensure the Games met their financial target. The target, was, in fact, hit.

“The combination – between the large sponsors and individual businesses – really speaks volumes for the support this city has and this region has for the Canada Games coming,” Ballantyne said.

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Stuart Ballantyne, CEO of the 2015 Canada Winter Games, speaks at a January 2014 event that announced Initiatives Prince George as Official Business Engagement Partner for the Games.

Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Getting behind the Games, continued from page 4 the North, Days Inn, Travelodge Goldcap and ships. the EconoLodge. The rooms in each hotel will “We wanted to build a Games experience,” be modified for Games use, with bunk beds Ballantyne added. “If they do have the ability to (originally used at the 2010 Winter Olympics move past Canada Games in their careers and and then at the 2011 Western Canada Summer go to Commonwealth Games or Pan American Games or ultimately to World Cups and into the Games in Kamloops) being installed shortly before the arrival of the athletes.

Olympics, they will have had that experience “We have a group working out of our warewhere they’ve seen something different than house,” Ballantyne said just a national championin reference to the bunk ship or an international From a sport perspective, bed assembly project. meet.”

“Canfor is working with Prince George’s downBallantyne said the objecus to try and make town will be a large part tive was to provide the sure that we have a full of the Games experience. understanding of the It has been the locabest athlete experience equipment to make this tion of Canada Games possible. In that regard, process go quick on the House (at the corner of he’s confident the job has in and really quick on the Fifth Ave. and Quebec out to save money and to St.) since July of 2012 also been done. save time and to get the and will also be home to hotels back up into their the Athletes Village and [regular operations].” media centre.

As for the media centre, it will be located in The Athletes Village includes Canada Games the new Wood Innovation and Design Centre on Plaza (the renovated space out front of the Civic Centre), which will host live nightly entertain- George Street.

From the opening ceremony at CN Centre ment and medal celebrations. The Civic Centre on the night of Feb. 13, all the way through will be a gathering and eating place for Canada to the closing ceremony at UNBC on March 1, Games participants, while the Prince George the Canada Winter Games will be like no other Public Library will have a lounge for their use. event Prince George has ever seen. As Canada’s The Athletes Village will also include five version of the Winter Olympics, the Games downtown hotels – the Ramada, Coast Inn of

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“One of the biggest things is that we built not only a sponsorship program, but we built a Friends of the Games program, which is not new to 2015,” he added. “This has been done in many Games but it allowed businesses with an investment as little as $500 to get involved and help fund the Games and to achieve some form of marketing benefit. These smaller businesses were interested in just being a part of it – saying they played their part. For that, they hoped to garner additional business, and they did because we used them as well.”

In total, the Canada Winter Games group formed close to 150 official partnerships with companies that were able to provide cash or services. Many of the services related to construction projects at the event venues (see other stories).

From a sport perspective, meanwhile, Ballantyne said the objective was to provide the best athlete experience possible. In that regard, he’s confident the job has also been done.

“I think [the athletes] are going to be very impressed with the quality of the competition facilities,” he said. “They will be impressed at how close everything is together so if they do have down-time in their sport they will be able to take in other competitions, which gives them that Games experience. Otherwise, it’s just a national championship and we were never going to build a series of 19 national champion-

will change the city and region forever. That’s true from a legacy standpoint (for example, the redesigned Kin Centre and major upgrades at Otway Nordic Centre, Tabor Mountain Ski Resort, Purden Ski Village and the Outdoor Ice Oval) and also in a less tangible way.

“With all the economic benefits and the exposure and the other things the Games bring, they really bring a confidence to the people of Prince George that they’ve hosted a major event,” Ballantyne said. “[Local residents] see a lot of events going to Vancouver and Vancouver Island and into the Okanagan and Thompson region and this will allow them to have the confidence that they attracted this event to northern B.C., they hosted a great event and that they’re open for business to host other events. Whether they’re sport-related or culture or business, people have that exposure and this community will have the confidence and an ability to host for many years to come.”

The Canada Winter Games are awarded on a rotating basis to the individual provinces and territories, and B.C. has never before hosted them. Ballantyne said B.C. won’t be eligible again until 2041.

The 2015 Games are expected to attract more than 3,400 participants (athletes, coaches and support staff). By the time they are complete, they will have pumped an estimated $70 million to $90 million into the local economy.

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

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Ice is nice Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Work at outdoor oval has made it better than ever

Skaters go past the Outdoor Ice Oval’s new storage building while it was still under construction in early December. Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015 “If it’s minus 15, we’re going to have rocketfast ice,” he said.

With proper, chilly temperatures, the Long track speed skating, which features Outdoor Ice Oval could see plenty of records racing distances from 500m to 5,000m, is falling during the Canada Winter Games. scheduled for the first week of the Canada Improvements at the Exhibition Park facility Winter Games. have enhanced the chance for some blazing In an effort to ensure the best possible ice times during the long track speed skating at the oval, an important improvement was competition. made in the lead-up to the Games. In the “We are going to have excellent ice – we’re summer of 2013, City of Prince George crews going to have the best outdoor ice in the worked to add less permeable dirt into the world if we get the weather that we need,” track’s gravel subsurface. Now, when temsaid Kathy Lewis, president of the Outdoor Ice peratures do warm up a bit, the ice is more Oval Society and the Canada Winter Games resilient because water no longer drains away venue lead for long track speed skating. “So as easily. The ice remains stronger and is less [we need] nice, cool prone to developing conditions. We can hollow spots, which remove snow, that’s not leads to cracks and “We are going to have a problem. And with the breaks. excellent ice – we’re going Zamboni, we can condi“[Before the imtion ice essentially to provement] when we to have the best outdoor indoor quality.” tried to drive the waice in the world if we Lewis isn’t the only ter truck, we’d break get the weather that we one who is excited through or we’d have about the possibilities. really weak ice, called need. So [we need] nice, Phil Beaulieu, director of shale ice,” Lewis said. cool conditions. We can sport and venues for the “Water would kind of remove snow, that’s not a Games, is also anticipatleak out and create ing a world-class surface these voids. We’d drive problem” at the 400-metre oval. the truck and it would

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make a big hole and built through volunteer we’d have a mess. labour and some dona“Now, when we have tions a small garage Another major upgrade a thaw, the water is refor our Zamboni a few at the oval is the addition tained at a much higher years ago. rate and so once the “All of that equipof a lighted and heated conditions get colder ment will now be able building at ice level that is again it just re-freezes to fit into one building used to store the facility’s and we don’t have the at ice level. That’s a same problem with the huge addition to the water truck, Zamboni and holes developing in the two Bobcats used for snow oval.” ice.”

While the hope is removal. The building mea- that Mother Nature Another major upgrade at the oval is provides sub-zero temsures 40 feet by 60 feet. the addition of a lighted peratures throughout and heated building at the Games, organizers ice level that is used – with the possibility of to store the facility’s water truck, Zamboni warm weather in mind – have built extra days and two Bobcats used for snow removal. The into the speed skating schedule. Race times building measures 40 feet by 60 feet and was can also be adjusted if necessary. the handiwork of the Prince George Construc“Apparently we wouldn’t be the first event tion Association, which signed on as a Games to race at five o’clock in the morning instead partner. of one o’clock in the afternoon,” Beaulieu said.

The new building makes life significantly “And our last plan would be to go to Fort St. easier for the volunteer crew that maintains John.” the oval.

Fort St. John is home to the Pomeroy Sport “Our equipment was [previously] in two Centre, the second-largest long track indoor places,” Lewis said. “Our water truck and the facility in Canada. The venue has been aptwo Bobcats were in an unheated barn [about proved for 2015 Winter Games use by Speed five minutes away from the oval] and we Skating Canada.

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by Jason Peters

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Making magic the

happen

Volunteers bring the Games to life

Nancy Armstrong, left, and Myrna Cable, centre, are two of the many volunteers who signed up for Canada Winter Games duty. Armstrong and Cable have worked closely with Christine Nicholls, right, who is manager of the volunteer workforce for the Games.

Citizen photo by Jason Peters

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Events like the Canada Winter Games aren’t just built with hammers and nails, heavy machinery and financial partnerships.

They are built with the support of vast numbers of people who don’t collect a penny for their work.

The Games, which start Feb. 13 in Prince George, would never have gotten to this point without the efforts of a large group of planning volunteers. And once the Games do start, their smooth operation from day to day will depend upon all the volunteers on the ground – the helpers in areas like transportation, food services, sport services, spectator services, medical services, media services, security, and so many more.

“You need to rely on the good will of volunteers for any major event,” said Christine Nicholls, manager, volunteer workforce, for the Canada Winter Games. “Volunteers truly are the piece that makes magic happen in an event. They’re here through their own good will and they have very different motivations when they’re here. Every event has stories of volunteers that go above and beyond what you would ever expect somebody to do and that’s where the magic happens.”

From the start of the planning process,

to the end of the Canada Winter Games on “That was to get the message out that we March 1, close to 4,200 volunteers will have were actively looking to recruit volunteers,” carried out various duties. Nicholls is comNicholls said. fortable with that number, even though the The Get in the Games program was foloriginal goal was to have 4,500 registered lowed up by various initiatives, including helpers. sending a promotions team to 30 differ“What I do know from past experience is ent special events around Prince George to that at least 50 per cent of the volunteers promote the Games and get people signed up that will come volunteer for these Games will to help. As well, a community relations group put in way more than worked to recruit the basic requirement volunteers from of six five-hour shifts,” throughout northern Volunteers truly are the said Nicholls, who has B.C., and open houses piece that makes magic had past involvement in were held to help happen in an event. events like the Molson secure volunteers for Indy Vancouver, the specific management They’re here through 2006 World Junior Hockroles and planning their own good will and ey Championship, the committees. they have very differ2007 Memorial Cup and “So we did a lot the 2009 World Police of stuff internally ent motivations when and Fire Games, all with and then once we they’re here.

Canada Winter Games launched our [online] CEO Stuart Ballantyne. registration system “So I’m quite confident we manned a kiosk at that we’ll be able to cover what we need to.”

Pine Centre Mall on Thursday nights, Friday People have been expressing interest in nights and Saturdays to assist people with volunteering for the Games right from the registering,” Nicholls said. “We had a team on beginning of the bid process in about 2010. the ground that worked with them, and that The formal volunteer drive began in October was from May until the end of October. And of 2013 with the Get in the Games program. then the volunteer centre [at Seventh Ave.

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by Jason Peters

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and Quebec St.] opened up and took on that role.”

For the planning phase, about 700 volunteers were found.

“And that’s split into two groups,” Nicholls said. “We’ve had planning volunteers who’ve been chairing committees and have had people sitting at the table planning things out, in some cases, for almost two years.

That number is probably about 300 or 350, and then when you add our venue team reps – a core part of our management structure to manage volunteers at Games time – you can add another 300 people into that mix.”

Two of the planning volunteers who have been invaluable to Nicholls are retirees Myrna Cable and Nancy Armstrong. Cable has been serving as chair of the volunteer committee and Armstrong has been filling the role of second chair.

“We work very closely with Christine and the staff,” Cable said. “I think of ourselves as a liaison between the staff and the volunteers.”

Cable and her husband, Tony, sport chair for the Canada Winter Games, have been volunteers from the beginning. Armstrong, meanwhile, came on board after a discussion with Cable in March of 2013.

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Making the magic happen, continued from page 13

[for the 2013 Canada Summer Games], we and retired folk. And I have to say that the have people from Halifax [host city of the retired administrators and school personnel 2011 Canada Winter Games] and Whitehorse have really taken a shine to these Games and [site of the 2007 Canada Winter Games] I have done an amazing job stepping up and think,” said Alyson Gourley-Cramer, manager stepping into some of these roles that take a of communications and community relations lot of hours and daytime availability.” for the Games. “It’s pretty incredible.”

Nicholls said people can still get involved Added Nicholls: “Canada Games is a as volunteers, even at this late date. national property so there is a flavour and “We will take volunteers as long as we an appeal that goes across the country. Anypossibly can,” she said. “There are a whole body who has volunteered at a Games like bunch of positions that are front-of-housethis and understands the movement, I can based – [jobs like] ticket-takers, greeters, see the attraction for coming back.” ushers, transportation at the venues.”

Nicholls also pointed out that volunteers Overall, Nicholls has been impressed with aren’t from any one the passion and work particular age demoethic shown by the graphic.

“We will take volunteers as thousands of volun“We’ve got a really teers who have signed long as we possibly can,” good mix because we on with the Games. she said. “There are a whole also did recruitment “This community has within high schools a real heart for volunbunch of positions that since their spring break teering,” she said. “They are front-of-house-based is in our same Games amaze me at what window,” she said. they’re willing to take – [jobs like] ticket-takers, “Right now, we have greeters, ushers, transpor- on. They’re very proud about 400 volunteers of their community and tation at the venues.” between 15 and 19 it shows with how they years of age. There’s a show up to volunteer.” large group of seniors

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“When the bid prothe opening week of comcess was going on, Tony petition, the other army of The first and also and I knew at that time volunteers will roll into acthat we would both get tion – those who will work the last contact all involved in some way or to ensure that the hour-tovisitors will have with another,” Cable said. “We hour and day-to-day opCanada Winter Games both enjoy volunteering erations of the Games run and we enjoy bringing as flawlessly as possible. volunteers will be at these huge events to our The goal will be to ensure the Prince George city and being part of that the needs of every Airport. them.” athlete, coach, official, Armstrong, who media member and guest worked with Tony Cable are taken care of from the in the local school system, decided to regisbeginning of their stay until the end. ter as a volunteer because of the magnitude The first and also the last contact all visiof the Games and because of her sense of tors will have with Canada Winter Games civic pride. volunteers will be at the Prince George “I think that this is an amazing event to Airport. come to Prince George,” Armstrong said. “To “[The airport] is what people are going to me, in some ways, it’s unbelievable that we see when they first arrive here and it’s the would get something of this calibre and I just last thing they’re going to see when they thought, ‘I really do want to be a part of it.’ leave here so the [volunteers] working there “I love Prince George, I’ve been here since have to be really customer-service oriented 1974 and I think it’s a great city and I really and really friendly.” want us to showcase how wonderful it is While the majority of volunteers are to live in the north and be part of this big Prince George residents, some will be comevent. My fingers are crossed that it all goes ing from across the country so they can be well.” part of the Games experience.

Once the first wave of athletes arrive for “We have people who were in Sherbrooke

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Air time Upgraded Tabor Mountain all set for action

Alex Crickmore-Thompson pulls off a trick during a Big Air competition at Tabor Mountain in February of 2014.

Citizen photo by David Mah

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

by Jason Peters Tabor Mountain Ski Resort will be the site of some high-flying action during the 2015 Canada Winter Games. The hill will host several freestyle events, including slopestyle (freestyle skiing and snowboarding varieties), ski cross and snowboard cross, moguls, dual moguls and the big air competition.

With Tabor welcoming so many events, some major modifications had to be made.

The bulk of the work was done in the summer of 2013 and by the time it was done, the mountain had a new slopestyle course within its terrain park and a new cross-course for skiers and boarders.

“We ended up with world-class facilities,” said Phil Beaulieu, director of sport and venues for the Games.

Beaulieu said close to $1.5 million was spent on upgrades at Tabor, when the actual Canada Winter Games budget was about $500,000. The extra work was made possible because of a personal investment by Tabor owner Fern Thibault and also because of Finning Canada, which provided the necessary earth-moving equipment. Finning got behind the 2015 Canada Winter Games in the early stages of preparations when it came on board as an official supplier.

The slopestyle course consists of a series of boxes, rails and jumps that skiers or snowboarders use to launch into tricks as they make their way down the hill. The boxes and rails are large and heavy – 500 pounds or more – and moving them into place in the construction phase was made possible by Tabor’s acquisition of a Kassbohrer PistenBully, worth about $450,000. The PistenBully manipulated the boxes and rails with ease. During regular use or competitions on a slopestyle course, it is also used to groom the snow around the man-made features.

Flynn Seddon, a member of Snowboard Canada who is a technical director for the Canada Winter Games, is an expert in terrain park development and he played a key role in the design of the slopestyle course.

“He helped us with the concept and where

we should put our features,” Beaulieu said.

“We had some new rails manufactured and we basically built four platforms to put the rails on and we built three jumps out of dirt. And they’re 30 feet high and have the landing slope that’s required so now when it comes time to use them we just have to add the little kicker that launches the kid and we’re good to go.”

As for the cross-course at Tabor, it was constructed with input from Seddon and from world-renowned designer Jeff Ihaksi, whose work was front and centre at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

“He would come and talk to Fern and Mitch [Thibault, Fern’s son] about how he envisioned the course,” Beaulieu said of Ihaksi. “It’s not an exact science when you’re building a course. You have to work with slopes and terrains and the natural features that you have. They would talk about how they saw the course flowing and where they were going to put things and then instead of building it out of snow, Fern and Mitch would build it out of dirt.”

The major benefit of building out of dirt is that the course becomes a permanent feature of the hill. As part of that advantage, less snow is required when it comes to recreational use or competitions.

“It’s a new thing to build out of dirt,” Beaulieu said. “There are people looking at the concept and seeing the advantages.”

Last February, provincial snowboard cross races were held at Tabor and the course received positive reviews.

“I was really impressed by the course,” B.C. coach Linden Ruecker told The Citizen at the time. “It’s a longer course and takes a bit over a minute to complete so it’s a higher level in terms of length. It’s a fast course and very technical and has bumps throughout and our riders liked the challenge of it.

“I haven’t seen other tracks in northern B.C. but this is definitely on my radar for future training,” he added.

The freestyle events are scheduled from Feb. 14-20. Tabor Mountain is located 20 kilometres east of Prince George.

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015 Gavin Rowell of the Prince George Alpine Ski Club nears the finish line in a giant slalom race during the Teck U16 provincial championships last February at Purden Ski Village. The championships were a test event for the 2015 Canada Winter Games. Purden will host alpine racing during the Games.

Citizen photo by David Mah

Built

speed for

Purden Ski Village had a blast getting set for Canada Winter Games

by Jason Peters In its 40 years of history, Purden Ski Village has been a snow-covered paradise for speed lovers. During the Canada Winter Games, the mountain will likely see some of the athletes go from top to bottom in record times.

Purden is the host venue for alpine skiing. And, with the best young downhillers in the country set to compete for gold, silver and bronze, improvements to the race course – known as the Pipe – had to be made.

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015 “Purden has held high-level speed events but they were many years ago,” said Phil Beaulieu, director of sport and venues for the Games. “Safety standards have changed and the speeds that the 16-year-old athletes are reaching keep going up too so that combination means you need a much wider course than they had.”

In preparation for the Canada Winter Games, Beaulieu said the race course at Purden was widened from basically the starting gate to the finish line. As well, the terrain underwent some major modifications. The work was done in the summer of 2013.

“We took out some big pieces of rock in the middle of the course and we did that for two reasons,” Beaulieu said. “It allows us to groom easier and earlier so we get a much harder and faster course by grooming. Also, it gives us some protection on low snow. So instead of needing eight feet of snow before we could start grooming so we could be over all these big rocks, we could start grooming much earlier. And, if we have low snow, we’re still good.”

The removal of rock was also done to ensure that the course was suitable for racing. Actual blasting was required, so the shape of the mountain was quite literally changed.

“In about the middle third of the course we had to blast,” Beaulieu said. “There were big rock outcroppings. On a speed event you want to have terrain and you want to have features so it’s not just tuck and go but you can’t have features that launch skiers. So we had to take out some of those rocks so that we don’t have launching and at the same time we wanted to be able to get the groomer up and down to groom.”

Beaulieu estimates that “thousands of cubic metres” of rock was blasted and removed.

A specialist did the blasting work, while David Kienzle was the general contractor and operated the excavator.

“He skis at Purden a lot and had done some course work for Purden Mountain before so he was an experienced operator on those slopes and on the hill,” Beaulieu said of Kienzle.

The consultants in the course redesign were Prince George residents Michael Wells and Stuart Gairns, who have years of experience in all things to do with alpine skiing. Beaulieu said the two men were “an invaluable resource” on what was required for the course to meet the standards for a Canada Winter Games.

“David and Stuart and Michael would talk about the vision for that next section and how it needed to flow,” Beaulieu said. “We would go away for a week and the blaster would blast some rock and David would move some earth and take some trees out and we’d have a section that was built to spec. A lot of it is feel.

We could have spent tens of thousands of dollars on surveys and instead we were able to put [that money] into the project.”

And how good is Purden now? Well, after the Teck U16 B.C. Provincials were held there last winter, the Pipe was described by Whistler coach Jeff McLennan as one of the finest race runs in B.C. Purden, located on Highway 16 about 60 kilometres east of Prince George, will host Super G, giant slalom and slalom events from Feb. 14-18. On Feb. 24, it will also welcome parallel giant slalom for snowboarding.

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

The wow factor Kin Centre sure to turn heads during Games Story on page 22

The new Kin 1 opened to the public in February of 2014. The building was torn down and then rebuilt as part of a $16.5 million project.

Citizen photo by David Mah

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

The wow factor, from page 20

by Jason Peters

whole thing is fantastic. All our test events we’ve held there have gotten really good reviews from the user groups.”

The Kin Centre served its purpose for many Beaulieu can’t wait to see the excitement years – about 40 of them. But the heavilyused facility, with three arenas inside its aging on the faces of the athletes and other visitors when they step inside the building, located on walls, was in need of a facelift. the Exhibition Grounds off Ospika Boulevard.

Now, it is one of the premier sports com“When the kids get off the bus and walk plexes in Canada. And the catalyst for change into that arena they’re going to see a worldwas the 2015 Canada Winter Games. class facility,” he said. “They’re going to have When Prince George was awarded the Games in September of 2010, so-called legacy that wow factor for sure.”

During the Canada Winter Games, Kin 1 projects – ones that would benefit the comwill be known as the Lakewood Dental Arena munity for the indefinite future – started to at CN Centre and will host short track speed be identified. The Kin Centre quickly found skating (Feb. 15-20) and figure skating (Feb. its place on the list and was scheduled for a 23-26). Kin 2, meanwhile, will be used as a major redesign. A budget of $16,528,000 was secondary venue for set and demolition work women’s hockey. on Kin 1 began in May One guy who has of 2012. The project was Even the art details with spent a large part of his funded by the federal the Winter Games being life inside the Kin Centre and provincial govern– first as a hockey player ments and by the City of in there, it’s great for our then as a coach – is Prince George. fans and players. And then and Trevor Sprague. He’s curYellowridge Construchow bright it is, with the rently coach and general tion of Port Moody did the work and the arena windows on the parking lot manager of the major midget Cariboo Cougars, reopened in February side, it’s pretty cool. The who have called Kin 1 of 2014. Now, Kin 1 their home rink for more features an Olympiccharacter of the arena is than a decade. When sized ice surface, seating new and fresh.

Sprague thinks about for 1,000 spectators the differences between and improved dressing the old Kin Centre and the new Kin Centre, rooms. Wood was used prominently in the he’s thrilled to have his team based there. rink’s interior and natural light now bathes “The atmosphere is great, having the the ice thanks to two sets of floor-to-ceiling lounge and actually having seats,” he said, windows on the east side of the building. in reference to the fact that spectators used As well, the Kin Lounge – upstairs between Kin 1 and Kin 2 – is now a beautiful eating and to have to sit on uncomfortable wooden bleachers. “Even the art details with the gathering space. And in Kin 2, new dressing Winter Games being in there, it’s great for our rooms were constructed and a host of other fans and players. And then how bright it is, enhancements were made. with the windows on the parking lot side, it’s Phil Beaulieu, director of sport and venues pretty cool. The character of the arena is new for the Canada Winter Games, said the Kin complex is now perfect for hosting the Games. and fresh.”

Sprague said the Cariboo players experi“For us, the upgrades couldn’t have been ence a sense of pride every time they walk better,” he said. “I think the design exceeded through the doors of the building. all our needs. The quality of the work, the

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015 “Our guys love that rink,” he said. “And our facility operators make it special because they have so much pride in how that arena looks and how prepared it is for us before our games. It gives [the players] a sense of, ‘hey, this is our home.’”

And how have visiting teams reacted when they see the Cougars’ home rink?

“They’re jealous, plain and simple,” Sprague said with a chuckle. “They’re like, ‘Sprague, this is an outstanding facility. We can’t believe this is what you get to play in and practice in.’

There’s not too many arenas in British Columbia that are as prestigious as this rink and as

new as it is.”

In terms of the ongoing legacy of the Kin Centre, Sprague said Prince George is now “on the map” as a place that can host major events.

“And legacy or not, us as user groups have got to appreciate what we have and respect it so it’s there for a long time,” he added. “As the years go on there will be upgrades that need to be done and I think the City and the people that use it need to make sure that it stays one of the best arenas in British Columbia and northern British Columbia for years to come.”

Prince George’s Carolina Hiller leads three Quebec skaters in the 1,000-metre final at the Canadian Age Class short track speed skating championships at Kin 1 last March. Hiller is a member of Team B.C. for the 2015 Canada Winter Games. Short track speed skating will be held during the first week of the Games.

Citizen photo by David Mah

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Getting the Games wasn’t an easy process many people involved over many years to make it happen

Forner Mayor Dan Rogers, right, 2015 Canada Winter Games Bid Committee cochair, Colleen Van Mook, centre and Mike Davis give details on the 2015 Canada Winter Games during the bid process in September of 2010.

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

by Samantha Wright Allen The genesis of Prince George as a host city of the Canada Winter Games goes back decades.

In those early years, Dan Rogers was yet to be mayor or co-chair of the bid committee, but he and many in the community believed the city could compete for the national event.

That meant putting up funds for what some saw as a pipe dream. With a bit of convincing, today’s CN Centre - home ice for both the men’s and women’s hockey during the games - was built.

“That groundwork was absolutely essential for the city to even consider putting it’s name in,” said Rogers, while waiting “would have meant we would be building in 2015 rather than 1993.”

They knew that the games returned to the region roughly every 20 years. The last time they were in B.C was in 1993 for the summer games in Kamloops, and 20 years before that in New Westminster and Burnaby.

“In hindsight I think it was critically important,” he said, to bring the largest multi-sporting and cultural event to ever be held in the city and northern B.C. Together with co-chair Les Waldie and hundreds of volunteers, Prince George threw its name in with a dozen other cities,

Rogers said.

In the end only three ponied up the $40,000 for the technical review, pitting Prince George against Kelowna and Kamloops.

“It was a rigorous process that had multi facets,” said Rogers, who is now the general manager of the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce.

It didn’t go well.

“It’s not well known, but we were a distant third after the first phase,” he said of the November 2009 meeting, where a selection committee graded the city’s sports and other venues.

In part, the evaluators didn’t like that CN Centre couldn’t accommodate both men and women’s hockey, but it also meant improvements to other venues.

Yet, there was enough in the proposal for the evaluators to push Prince George through to the short list.

“It was gut check time,” said Rogers, adding the city had to make the tough decision whether to proceed to the next phase, due in May 2010, and invest more capital than was originally planned.

It did, and in the end the city committed $1 million in capital in addition to the third of the operating costs. It’s estimated the local economic impact for host cities are between $70 million and $90 million.

The second phase placed emphasis

on revenue generation and community leadership and capacity and meant another $420,000 commitment. Of that, the direct cost of the on-site presentation and tour was $100,000.

“We had to significantly up our game in the second phase of the evaluation to move us from worst to first.”

Rogers said thousands of volunteer hours went into refining the bid, but what really made the difference was support from Prince George residents.

“Having the community come out and support the bid, that was clearly evident when the judges came through on evaluation day.”

In September 2010, Prince George got the good word, something in those early years Rogers didn’t think he’d be around to see.

“That was thrilling personally, but obviously even more so for the community because I think it reflected well on the collaboration and spirit of the community to come from behind.”

Apart from the economic benefits and the greater profile for the city, Rogers said the whole process reinforced an intangible benefit he thinks the Canada Games Represent.

“You can reach beyond what you think is possible,” he said. “We need to continually push beyond what limits we put on ourselves.”

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Long road tothe

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podium

Athletes have worked hard for shot at Canada Games glory

by Jason Peters

Claire Lapointe, left, Arthur Roots and Bobby Kreitz are among the local biathletes who are Team B.C. members for the Canada Winter Games. Emily Dickson is also on the Canada Games team.

Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

It takes time, money and the dedication of countless people to build an event as large and multi-faceted as the Canada Winter Games.

But, without the athletes, there would be no Games.

Canada’s version of the Winter Olympics will kick off Feb. 13 in Prince George and will run until March 1. During that time, close to 2,400 athletes from 10 provinces and three territories will visit the city. To qualify for the Games, those athletes had to make provincial/territorial teams in their

chosen sports, an achievement that requires total commitment and the perseverance to overcome unforeseen challenges.

Many of the athletes who made Canada Winter Games teams hail from right here in P.G. One of them is Arthur Roots, a 20-year-old biathlete from the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club. Roots will be participating in his second Games, as he was also a member of Team B.C. in 2011 in Halifax. That year, he was one of the younger competitors and posted a top12 finish in an individual race and was part of a bronze-medal effort in a relay.

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Long road to the podium, continued from page 27 This time, with his additional experience and the benefit of competing on his home trails at the Otway Nordic Centre, Roots is aiming for multiple trips to the medal podium.

“Hopefully the training is paying off,” he said from Canmore, where he has been living and training since his graduation from D.P. Todd secondary school in 2012. “It would be great to get some results.”

Biathlon combines cross-country skiing and target shooting. Roots is entered in four races – individual, sprint, pursuit and relay.

Roots is excited about the chance to showcase Otway to athletes and visitors from the rest of the country. In preparation for the Games, major improvements were made at the facility, including 10 kilometres of new world-class trails and a new 30-lane rifle range. Roots’s dad, Tim, oversaw the development of the range so Roots has an understanding about the amount of work that goes into hosting an event like the Canada Winter Games. As an athlete, he’s thankful for the efforts of all the people who helped make the 2015 version a reality.

“That’s kind of the coolest and most important thing for me, just how much work everyone has put in,” he said.

Other local members of Team B.C. for biathlon are Emily Dickson, Claire Lapointe and Bobby Kreitz. Biathlon will be held during the first week of the Games.

In archery, Tony Procter and Mya Schouwenburg will take aim during the Canada Winter Games and so will Quesnel’s Emerie Watson. Procter earned the lone Team B.C. spot in the male compound class and is hopeful all his work will pay off.

“It’s been a long process and five years getting to this event,” he told The Citizen in November. “It’s not the biggest tournament I’ve competed at but it’s the one that’s taken the most training time – six days a week, four hours a day.”

Archery will be held at the Northern Sport Centre during the first week.

In ringette, Sydney Irving is the only Prince George resident on Team B.C. Quesnel players

Colleen Moorhouse, Jessica MacDonald and Hannah Young are also on the squad.

“I couldn’t believe it [when Team B.C.] called,” Irving said last May. “To compete in front of family and friends and to share it with everyone… to represent Prince George in ringette is awesome.”

The ringette tournament is slated for the Coliseum during the opening week of the Games.

In wheelchair basketball (open to athletes 24 and younger), Prince George’s Avril Harris will be experiencing the Canada Winter Games for the third time. An able-bodied player, he first wore Team B.C. colours as a 16-year-old in Whitehorse (2007) and was also in uniform in 2011 in Halifax.

“It’s going to be a great experience to be in my hometown with my friends and family watching and the stands packed with people that want to see a gold medal around your neck,” Harris said in October. “There’s some pressure but that’s part of the game.”

Prince George’s Joel Ewert also claimed a Team B.C. roster spot for the Games. Wheelchair basketball, a Week 1 event, will be on the floor at Duchess Park secondary school.

Other local or regional athletes who made the cut for the Canada Winter Games include: Justin Almeida and Dorrin Luding (men’s hockey); Carolina Hiller, Callie Swan, Allison Desmarais (short track speed skating); Nico Hiller (long track speed skating); Grace Northrop, Lavanna Laass and Kristen Yawney (judo); and Meryeta O’Dine (women’s snowboard cross) and Evan Bichon (men’s parallel giant slalom snowboarding). Prince George’s Dawson Ellery is an alternate in parallel giant slalom.

Some of the notable past participants in the Canada Winter Games are Sidney Crosby (men’s hockey), Jennifer Botterill (women’s hockey) and speedskaters Nathalie Lambert, Catriona Le May Doan and Gaetan Boucher.

At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada Games alumni accounted for 16 of Canada’s 26 medals.

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Photo Right: Snowboarder Meryeta O’Dine, pictured at Tabor Mountain in March of 2014, is one of the local athletes who will compete in the Canada Winter Games.

Citizen photo by David Mah

Photo Left: Prince George’s Tony Procter, a member of the Silvertip Archers, will take aim at a medal when the Canada Winter Games archery competition gets underway at the Northern Sport Centre.

Citizen staff photo

Photo Right: Local wheelchair basketball player Avril Harris, shown here during a Team B.C. and PacificSport youth camp at Duchess Park secondary school in October, will play for B.C. during the Canada Winter Games.

Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Major strides

Otway’s ski trails and biathlon range now meet international standards

Phillip Widmer leads a group up a hill in a classic sprint race during the Haywood NorAm Western Canadian cross-country ski championships last February at the Otway Nordic Centre.

Otway’s trail system went through a major upgrade in advance of the Canada Winter Games.

Citizen photo by David Mah

by Jason Peters For years, the Otway Nordic Centre has been among the best cross-country skiing facilities in the country. Now, with Prince George set to welcome the 2015 Canada Winter Games, Otway is truly world-class.

And its quality is found not just on the cross-country ski front. Thanks to extensive upgrades, Otway has also gained recognition as a premier venue for biathlon.

Otway, home of the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, will host the two sports during the Games, which get underway on Feb. 13. The improvements at the centre

were sparked by Prince George’s bid to host the Games. In fact, work began even before the bid proposal was submitted to the Canada Games Council.

“We knew that Prince George was going to bid for the Games and we thought if we aligned ourselves well with this we could really do a lot for the club in terms of improving its profile in the community,” said Jim Burbee, Otway’s director of competition and the Canada Winter Games sport leader for cross-country skiing. “I was actually supplying bid information through the bid committee while I was working at the Olympics in 2010 so that’s kind of when I first started.”

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015 was his own. Other pieces of machinery were Then on the August long weekend in 2011, provided by Finning, an official supplier of the Burbee and other Otway personnel had a Canada Winter Games. meeting at the centre with high-ranking ofAlso new at Otway is a spacious timing/storficials from cross-country skiing and biathlon to determine the standards that would have to age/office building for cross-country skiing.

Cross-country skiers and biathletes will both be met in order for Otway to host international benefit from the trail and stadium upgrades events. but the real jewel for biathletes is Otway’s “That’s when the planning process started,” Burbee said. “We laid out the maps and started new rifle range. It’s a 30-lane range, built to international standards, and opened for use in to do the technical assessments for what December of 2013. needed to be upgraded to meet an interna“For [the Games], we only need 24 shooting tional standard.” lanes but the club, for legacy, they’ve always With an eye toward hosting the Canada said that when they have regional events or Winter Games, as well as future national and provincial events they actually have more international events, Otway was improved athletes and 30 lanes was much better for in some significant ways. On the ski side, 10 future event hosting,” said Phil Beaulieu, direckilometres of new competition-quality trails tor of sport and venues for the Canada Winter (encompassing 12 race courses internationGames. “So we were able to build the 30 lanes ally certified by FIS) were added to Otway’s and 30 sets of targets.” network.

Construction – which “Some of that has spanned three years and incorporated some of came with a price tag of the old racing trails,” Cross-country skiers and about $500,000 – was Burbee said. “But they’ve biathletes will both benoverseen by Tim Roots, all been widened and Caledonia’s director re-engineered. The big efit from the trail and of trails, facilities and step there was that we stadium upgrades but the grooming. Roots estiacquired 70 acres of mated that more than land that was adjacent real jewel for biathletes is 500 hours of volunteer to our facility and we Otway’s new rifle range. work went into the were able to put the project. Dean Price of majority of those racing It’s a 30-lane range, built Construction trails in without interto international standards Nahanni was the contractor for rupting the recreational the range and his contritrails, because we have butions were described another 55 kilometres of as “unbelievable” by Beaulieu. recreational trail.

“He really knew what the end product “We’ve got quite an arsenal now of courses needed to be and worked hard with his crew to to choose from for the race formats that we’re make it work,” Beaulieu said. asked to do when we put on an event.”

The range is located beside Otway’s main The racing trails have received excellent parking lot, a spot that is much more convereviews, said Burbee. He pointed to the feednient than the old location, which was out in back Otway got after it hosted the Western the middle of the trail system. Shooters face Canadian championships last season. toward Otway Road, but a massive gravel “We got really good comments about this berm (about 12,000 square metres of material) facility,” he said. “At the end of the FIS race seprevents any stray bullets from escaping. ries last year, they had 17 facilities [worldwide] A new technical building for biathlon is also where they had hosted races, and the coaches and athletes that had competed at those facili- in place for the Canada Winter Games and ties all did a ranking and Otway came out No. 3 future events.

In total, the changes at Otway cost about out of all 17.” $1.7 million.

Also on the ski side of the equation, Otway “In the run-up to the Games we did have improved its stadium area in front of the some money that came through the bid proclubhouse. Close to 7,300 square metres of cess, and substantial funding came through gravel helped double the size of the stadium the government,” Burbee said. “And we just and vastly improved its drainage during melt had incredible community support through conditions. The trail work and the stadium businesses – not necessarily financial, but modifications were spearheaded by Prince people would build our buildings for us, people George resident Dave Jacobs, one of the ownwould pour the foundations for us, people ers of Double D Logging. loaned us heavy equipment to move dirt. It “That was a $200,000 budget item,” Burbee was just incredible.” said. “He brought the equipment, he bought Biathlon is scheduled for the first week of his own fuel – everything – and he built them the Games, while cross-country skiing will take for us.” the spotlight in the second.

Much of the heavy equipment Jacobs used

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Builders Wall: Caledonia Nordic Ski Club Thank you!

Cross Country and Biathlon Technical Buildings

Stadiums & Competition Courses

Caledonia Nordic Ski Club is proud to recognize the generous outpouring of community and provincial support for the development of facilities at the Otway Nordic Centre. The businesses, individuals and government agencies recognized on this page, and the numerous volunteers deserve recognition as true community builders. Special mention for the steadfast support of our MLAs Shirley Bond; MLA Prince George Robson Valley, Minister Transportation & Infrastructure Pat Bell; MLA Prince George Mackenzie, Minister Tourism, Jobs and Skills Training.

Thank you: Caledonia Nordic Ski Club

Idl Projects..................................................Foundations All-West Glass.................................Windows & Doors Winton Global Homes.......................................Trusses CanaSteel Rebar....................................................Rebar West Fraser Mills............................................ Plywood Conifex Timber Inc.............................................Lumber Interfor....................................................... Cedar Siding Carrier Lumber.....................................Transportation Centre City Electric.........................................Electrical Westcana Electric...........................................Electrical GeoNorth Engineering............................Geotechnical Access Engineering............................Building Design Finning Tractor............................................ Equipment Dave Jacobs.........................................Earthwork, Fuel Portal Installations............................. Overhead Door Hardwoods....................................................... Plywood Paradise Manufacturing..............................Cabinetry New Look Interiors................................................ Paint Northern Development Initiative Trust......Funding

Dave Jacobs.........................................Earthwork, Fuel Brandt Tractor............................................. Equipment Finning Tractor............................................ Equipment Double D Logging........................................ Equipment A.L. Sims & Son............................................ Equipment Martin Daburger......................................... Equipment GeoNorth Engineering...................Mapping Services Stella Jones................................................Power Poles Canada Winter Games.......................Capital Funding Province of BC: Ministry of Communities Sport & Culture Infrastructure Grant Ministry of Forests Lands & Natural Resources Operations

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015 Photo Right: John Huybers, left, and other volunteers put the roof on the target board at Otway’s new biathlon range in November of 2013. The range will be in use during the first week of the Canada Winter Games.

Citizen photo by David Mah

Photo Left: The Western Canadian biathlon championships were held at the Otway Nordic Centre in February of 2014. Here, athletes make use of Otway’s new 30-lane rifle range.

Citizen photo by David Mah

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Venue builders Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Four sponsors helped get the Games ready for the athletes

by Samantha Wright Allen

Prince George Construction Association:

Thanks to the efforts of more than 50 Prince George Construction Association members, the outdoor ice oval has a state-of-the-art facility for the Canada Winter Games.

It’s also a legacy project that can help host future events.

“We view ourselves as a community builder, and very community minded,” said Rosalind Thorn, president of the association, of the decision to be a sponsor.

Thorn noted the dedicated work of volunteers at Ice Oval Society to maintain the space.

“That society has been caring for it for a number of years and haven’t had convenient facilities to house all of their equipment,” said Thorn, adding it meant a lot to be able leave a long-lasting gift beyond the Games.

“It’s something that is very special and near and dear to our hearts.”

The association was a natural fit as an official supplier for the Games, and its members offered special pricing, donations of labour, and donations of material for the oval.

“We build everything except for single family homes,” said Thorn of the association which was formed in 1958. “Your roads, your bridges, your sewers, schools, hospitals, shopping centres, mines, you name it.”

Construction on the project, dubbed the Games Outdoor Ice Oval Enhancement Legacy Project, began in early October 2014 and Thorn said the finishing touches are being made to the interior.

The two-week sporting event is a great way to showcase the city to the rest of Canada.

“We think the Canada Games is very important in promoting our community and the opportunities that are here,” Thorn said. “We’re poised to be able to take advantage of the huge economic development that’s slated for northern B.C.” “We are the bright light in the province.”

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Flynn Seddon operates an excavator shapping up the side of the snow cross course at Tabor Mountain in August of 2013. Where you see the excavator, is the spectators area and walk zone where you will be able to watch events at Tabor such as ski cross, board cross, half pipe and slope style. There has been alot of work done at the mountain over the summer in preparation for the 2015 Canada Winter Games. Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Venue builders, continued from page 34 Finning Canada:

When visitors take in the the sculpted slopes, ramps and jumps at Tabor Mountain, they’ll be witnessing two summers of strategic work.

Finning Canada is an official supplier for the Canada Winter Games and it was their equipment that did a lot of the heavy lifting.

“One of our mottos corporately has been building communities,” said Russ Peterson, the company’s Prince George branch manager.

In an exercise of foresight, Canada Winter Games elected to design a course that accounted for abnormally low snowfall, and use dirt as the base.

“Where you’d need three, four feet of snow, typically in this case with the dirt features they would only need a foot of snow,” Peterson explained.

“We brought various pieces of equipment to sight for them to use,” said Peterson of the partnership with the Games. “They hired engineers and world class site developers for ski hills to guide them.”

It was a big job.

“We had excavators to dig up dirt and rock from up on the top of the mountain. We brought in articulated dump trucks to load that rock, bring it down the hill. Then they would dump it,” he said, which involved more than a dozen pieces of equipment. “We had dozers that came in and leveled it to form the terrain.”

Tabor took up the bulk of their time, but Fin-

ning also did some work at the Otway Nordic Centre and the Outdoor Ice Oval.

Peterson said Finning has about 160 people working in Prince George, and many are volunteering for the games too.

“All our employees work and live in this community and so we want to give back wherever we can and this was a great opportunity,” said Peterson, adding the company’s support of the two-week event was “substantial.”

“It was one of the biggest sponsorships in Finning history,” he said. “I think it’s import to leave a legacy for the communities that we’re in. It’s pretty warming to my heart to see we played a part in that.”

The Cat Rental Store:

When Finning Canada partnered with the Canada Winter Games in the early days, The Cat Rental Store wasn’t far behind.

As a division of Finning Canada, Chris Litke said becoming an official supplier just made sense.

“First and foremost to support the community of Prince George. We’ve been here for quite awhile,” said Litke, marketing manager of The Cat Rental Store. “It was just an opportunity for us to get involved and do what we’re good at which is help out by supplying equipment and lend our expertise.”

Litke said the company had a lot to offer.

“Anything from heaters, manlifts, to power

generation, to snow and earth moving equipment. There’s a pretty good variety.”

Its role is to make sure the facilities are maintained, with easy access to venues.

“We make sure everything’s running properly and is heated and has power and that’s where we fit into it.”

The Prince George branch has 14 employees, and Litke said all are geared up for the Games to start.

“We’re just really excited for it to kick off. I know that our guys at the branch are excited to be involved. We think it’s going to be a really good opportunity for the community. Anytime that you can get more coverage whether it’s nationally for not just your brand but the community, I think it’s a win-win.”

He said Prince George should feel the effects of the Canada Winter Games beyond the twoweek spotlight during the event.

“The hope would be that it leaves a legacy behind in facilities and funding and even inspiring young athletes to take up different sports that they might not normally be exposed to.”

Britco:

Despite being almost a brand new branch to Prince George, Britco jumped right in when the Canada Winter Games came calling.

“It was a really good reason to be involved.

We really came into the community wanting to be part of the community,” said Chad Erickson,

manager for Prince George’s branch, which came to the city in 2013.

“One of our pillars of our organization is that we try to be involved in sports, we try to be involved in the community.”

Plus, this type of thing is old hat for Britco. As one of the the world’s largest modular construction companies, it also provided buildings for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

For these games, Britco built about 50 buildings, said Erickson. Residents can see them at Otway, the ice oval, Tabor Mountain and Purden.

“So any additional onsite offices that they might need or washrooms,” Erickson explained.

Britco’s sponsorship is also committed to the goal of leaving a lasting legacy.

As an official sponsor of the Games, four of the buildings will be donated to First Nation communities in the north. The 10 x 4 buildings will be used as libraries, continuing the First Nation Community Library Program from the 2010 Olympics.

“We want to show the community that we’re going to be there, not just for the Games, not just for current economic opportunities, but we want to be up there for the long term.”

Erickson said the company knows from experience what a big event like the Games can do for a community.

“It puts Prince George on the map.”

Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

Friends of the Games

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The following Friends of the Games have all been an integral part of making the 2015 Canada Winter Games happen. Please help support those who support this once in a lifetime event for Prince George.

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015

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Building the Canada Winter Games | February 2015