City to pony up the cash for Games’ bid

While they’ve cut the budget of the library, already spent money on a cable company, suggested that an auxiliary fire department might be a good thing and put forward a number of cost cutting measures across the city, the folks at City Hall have still decided to move forward financially with a bid for the BC Northern Winter Games of 2010. A bid that requires $70,000 in funding to move forward to the competition stage, as the city’s plan has now reached the stage where it’s time to as they say; hold em, fold em or cash em out.

Councilor Kathy Bedard who has been spearheading the campaign to host the event from February 4-7 of 2010, says in order for the project to proceed any further, the city would have to send a letter committing support both financial and in kind towards the games process. She did point out that the money would not be spent unless Prince Rupert actually won the competition for the games. Kind of a spend if necessary, but not necessarily have to spend platform.

The games were last held in Prince Rupert in 1999 and provided a financial impact of $850,000 to the community. It seems that the thinking around the council chamber table is that the financial situation in the city is going to improve over the next few years as we head towards 2010 and thus we can afford to support the bid with dollars today (despite our financial troubles at the moment) in anticipation of a better day to come.

One wonders why they might not have launched a community based fund raising campaign for the bid, taking donations from those establishments in town that would directly benefit from an influx of visitors to the city. Surely the hotel industry, restaurant industry, banks and credit union, Citywest (even if that is taking from one pocket to give to the other) and such could have provided the necessary seed money for the project, thus relieving the city of a cash call it may have problems being able to meet. If nothing else, that strategy would give everyone in the community a vested interest in making the bid and subsequent games a huge success.

Interestingly enough, the City of Terrace won the rights to the 2010 Winter Games (full province version), so it would be worthwhile to learn if the powers that be would schedule two winter games in the same area, within weeks of each other, or whether they would prefer to spread the wealth out a bit.

For now the city has decided to spread some of its own wealth around a bit, putting forward a bid that no doubt comes from the nothing ventured, nothing gained agenda.

For a full report on the council decision, we provide the Daily News article from Tuesday in Podunkicized form.

CITY FINDING THE MONEY TO FUND ITS GAMES BID
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Page Three

The city has committed- $70,000 in funding - $30,000 in cash and $40,000 in kind, toward hosting the 2010 B. C. Northern Winter Games.

Councilor Kathy Bedard , who has been preparing the city’s bid to host the event February 4-7, 2010, said in order to proceed any further, the city would have to send a letter committing support both financial and in kind.

“It’s come down to the rubber hits the road as the city has to decide if it’s willing to set aside some money to contribute towards the games,” she said.

The support of the school district will also be required because the school district will need to set aside the Friday of the games weekend to allow the use of all their facilities during the games, she said.

“We’ve gotten great support from the community and sports groups,” she said.

“From my perspective, it’s important how we put that money together,” said Councilor Tony Briglio.

In future years, he said he could see the city being able to set aside money.

“But this year, I say we pass,” he said.

“Nominal amounts on the first two years and then we catch up in future years.”

Bedard noted the funding will only be required if the city wins the bid.

“It should be noted the last games held in Prince Rupert in 1999 brought in an impact of $850,000 to the community,” said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond.

“And left a legacy of $30,000, which was given the to the Prince Rupert Community fund.”

Councilor Sheila Gordon-Payne spoke in favour of the games regardless of whether the city’s financial state improves in the next two years, because of the $850,000 that will come from a small investment of $30,000.

“We will reap huge benefits and it also ties in with our 2010 city anniversary,” she said.
The city of Terrace has won the bid for the 2010 winter Games and the B. C. Northern Winter Games follows on the heels of that event.