News and Media
RCR Steps Forward to Help Fund BC Winter Games
By Carolyn Grant
A very big part of the upcoming Kimberley/Cranbrook BC Winter Games will be the alpine events. About 120 able-bodied and 20 to 30 disabled skiers will be taking part in a variety of alpine events, from racing to freestyle during the Games.
All alpine events will be held at the Kimberley Alpine Resort and just this week, Andy Cohen, representing RCR and John Boucher for the Games, signed the final agreement. Cohen also announced that KAR would be making a $15,000 cash donation to the Games.
Speaking for the Host Organizing Committee, Boucher said that the committee had two goals, to provide a safe competitive atmosphere for all the athletes and to work diligently within the budget.
”Hopefully that will allow us to leave a financial legacy,” he said.
Boucher said that there was still an $80,000 fund remaining from the 1980 Winter Games that continues to support amateur athletics in Kimberley and area, and that the track in Cranbrook was a legacy from their Summer Games.
”Some of the profit goes back to Victoria, but the rest remains in the community, hopefully to sponsor young athletes,” Boucher said.
Organizing Committee President Rob McIntyre said that legacies from the Games were now being divided with 75 per cent going to sports and 25 to the arts.
”We are pleased and excited to be working with Resorts of the Canadian Rockies,” Boucher said. “This $15,000 cash donation goes a long way to helping my budget.”
”On behalf of the Directors, volunteers and athletes, I’d like to thank RCR for the work done to get us to this sport,” McIntyre said. “We’re excited about working together and looking forward to a successful Games.”
”This event next year will be the highlight of our winter,” Cohen said. “I have three kids who have taken part in both summer and winter BC Games and it was a high point in their lives. It’s a great event.”
The North Star Racers, who work many of the alpine events at KAR, will be providing expertise and many of the volunteers required to pull off a successful event.
We are honoured to host the alpine events,” said North Star Racer¹s Brian Bedell. “It will be a lot of fun.”
Kimberley residents will also be interested to know that former resident and ski racer Gerry Rinaldi has been chosen as technical delegate and race boss for the alpine events.
Interested in volunteering for BC Winter Games? You can register at www.bcgames.org or visit www.wintergames2008.com
