North Shore

Absence of eight-lane track may hamper bid

: Jan-Christ ian Sorensen

News Reporter
~ foorensen@nsnews.com
"PRE North Shore
hosted the BC Winter -
Games in 1996. Now
it’s locking to add a
‘summer complement -
to its resume.”

‘The North Shore. is one
ofa dozen B.C. communities
Icoking to host the 2004 or
2006 edition of the Games.

The event. can. draw .
between 2,000 and: 3,500 ©

‘athletes, . ‘depending on ‘the .~

size-of the host. community,

d that can pay off in spades
for. local’: hotels, | restaurants ©:
and other merchants:

A fecent study conducted .

the Economic : Planning

p..of Canada . under:
ored the,i impact the Games *

¢an have on a. community:
“Over $2 million was spent
joria’ this. .summer

when the capital ‘city hosted :

the st: edition - of ‘the -
Games, ‘and- Quesnel. reaped .

million when it hosted ‘-

“The ‘games leave a legacy
the’

behind and tt the benefit t

tion to the minister of small
business, tourism and culture
in February.

A decision by the ministry
could come any time after
that.

Lister Farrar of the BC
Games Society wouldn’t give
any hints as to who the odd-
smakers were putting their
money on, but said the
North Shore has a good shot
_at capturing one of the bids.

“We found that a lot of

‘the bids were very good with

good .: facilities — + more
noticeable chan the last bid
process.

. “It's also fair to say that
North Vancouver did 2 good
job in 1996 and that certain-
ly won’t hurt them.”

“Duffy said if there’s one.
thing thet could shackle. a .

successful North Shore bid,
however, it. was the absence

of-a.local cight-lane, profes- :

sional track: .
She. said - it’s hampered

past bids, and may continue
“to put the kibosh on future .
cattem| ts unti) a proper facil."

ity. is
aioe’ has a: six-

lane. track, but it’s ‘still two |

“Tanes‘shy of an official track:
As.a result, if the ‘North

~ Shore is’ ‘awarded one of the. .

“BC Games; organizers will
have ‘to make arrangements

-to truck the track and field =
athletes: out: to | Swangard -

Stadium in Burnaby for com-

SPORTS

Ks to

And the track: wouldn’t
just help out future games

Mahon in’ other years and
Sutherland and a lot of work
would have to be done in
order to prepare both of
those sites for a track,” said
Duff, “but it's hoped that
by having something like this
that would generate enough
interest, people would see
the insanity of having to gu

- to another municipality. to

host a track and field portion
of the summer games.

“It just’ doesn’t make
sense at all to not have an
eight-lane track here on. the
North Shore.”

Aside ‘fromthe lack of
proper track facilities, Duffy
remains confident that the

« BC Games Society will still’.
‘see the North Shore as an :

J :, excellent hast community.

BERNIE Duffy, communt-

ty sport coordinator with
‘the North Vancouver Rec’:

Commission ;

bids — it would also give the -

Norwesters Track and Field

‘club a’ much-needed: home

base and prevent the North ‘
Shore - Secondary. Schools
Athletic. Association: from

‘having to venture over town
to. host its annual, charapi

onship.
“They” veo

competition

‘looked : “at :

“We've. got first class.

facilities here.
We've certainly got lots
and lots of space to accom-

~ modate all the various sports

in the games.”

Other communities in the ,
- bidding for'the Games are: .

Abbotsford,

“. Cranbrook,
Greater. Vernon,

Port . Alberni,
Prince’ George, Surrey and

~ Langley.

Fhe North Shore faces
from
Abbotsford;
: Kamloops,

Cranbrook, .
Langley,

2006 competition.

;_ Greater .
Trail, Kamtoops, Kimberley,’
oe Penticton,

Cranbrook, -
Penticton and
Surrey for the 2004 Games,
and . will. have to «battle.

' Kamloops, °:
“Penticton - “and “>
Surrey. for. thie rights’ to the.

Kk Summer Games —

£ ‘acember 8 to January 7

3 pm to 10 pm Daly
(dosed Christmas Day and New Year's Eve) "

Bring the family to enjoy illuminated, magical nights at.

the Miniature Train and Children's Farmyard in wondrou

Stanley Park and help raise funds for the 8. C Professional, _
Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund, :

Admission Prices for Train: and Farmyard Combo Tick

Families $10.

Children /Seniiors: 82, 50