Castlegar, with close cooperation from its close neighbours has successfully hosted a provincial conference spanning four days at its Community Complex.
The upshot of the Recreation Facilities Association of BC event which ran from May 14-17, is that 89 members from across the province have compared notes and now feel better able to give their communities the recreational value they crave and deserve.
We’re talking about arenas and/or pools, of which there are about 200 in the province.
With representatives from the 89 members as well as the 30 or so sponsors, the turnout was sizable.
The conference is an opportunity for industry colleagues to congregate and compare notes on the challenges specific to operating these recreation centres that are so well appreciated by the public.
The conference is an annual event (next year to be held in Victoria) and a major drawing card for the 2013 installment was the inclusion of Trevor Linden as keynote speaker for the Thursday night banquet. The charming former NHLer who performed with four teams over a couple of decades (first and foremost, the Vancouver Canucks) is as well known and respected for his community/humanitarian efforts as his on-ice excellence.
Linden got ready for his speaking engagement by returning the the grass roots, playing some ball hockey with local young fans at the complex. There were three games underway Thursday afternoon and he took part in each.
A couple more highlights came after the game as special autograph sessions were held for some honoured fans: Lillian Cox of Nelson (whose selection was arranged by her daughter Bev Caldwell), and Barb Cornford of Rossland. Both ladies, hardcore Canucks’ fans since the team joined the NHL in 1970, said they were thrilled to meet their hockey hero.
As the games were winding up, conference-related comments were solicited from Jason Craig, operations supervisor at the Nelson and District Community Complex.
He first thanked Teck Corp. whose sponsorship had facilitated Linden’s involvement.
“It’s all about recreation facilities, parks and recreation,” he outlined, “and everything in between… fitness… ice rinks… the whole nine yards.”
Craig, part of the team orchestrating the symposium, said going “green” and dealing with energy-related topics has been popular of late. “We have sessions where we talk about what works in our facility and what people are having problems with.”
The conference came up with no hard and fast resolutions, per se, but that was not the desired goal of the effort according to Robert Baker, representing the City of Trail, who stated the idea was to put together a framework of priorities for operators to work toward, something to check back on in a year, for example, and measure progress.
Baker, who mentioned that energy costs signify 25 per cent of a complex’s expenses, added, “these folks come in here and learn all the technical aspects of energy stewardship and responsibility in rec facilities… how we’re going to go back to our buildings now and implement them.”
Baker’s comments came as the delegates were packing up and heading for home around 11 a.m. on Friday.
A closing comment focusing gratitude to the many sponsors was provided by Jim Crockett, manager of recreation for the Castlegar and District Recreation Department. Crockett also directed credit to Castlegar’s regional partners in staging a function that went off without a hitch.
“We had strong support and participation,” he said, “both on the organizing committee and from the employees to come from our sister cities of Trail and Nelson. We want to acknowledge their support. They were integral in making this all happen.”
Photo below: Part of organizing crew: from left, Robert Baker with the City of Trail, and from Castlegar and District Recreation Department, Todd Wallace, maintenance foreman and manager of recreation Jim Crockett.
