Memories of the 2014 BC Winter Games still linger around its host city.
Volunteers still talk about their experience and the large paper snowflakes created as decoration for the event have made their way around to several other celebrations in the past year.
And now, artists, youth and athletes will think of the Games when grants and bursaries are given out each year.
This week, Mission BC Winter Games president Brian Antonson announced the host city will receive a $60,000 legacy from the games.
Money from the legacy fund represents savings realized by the Mission 2014 board of directors as a result of community and corporate support, said Antonson.
The savings totalled just over $100,000, but 40 per cent of it had to be returned to the BC Games Society to support future Games.
The money that is left in Mission will support sports, arts, and culture in this community. More specifically, $25,000 will be administered by the Mission Sports Council for KidSport Mission, and the Mission Community Foundation will administer a $23,000 fund for sport infrastructure and athlete, coach and official development, and a $12,000 fund for arts and culture.
“BC Games Society policy allows for a maximum of 25 per cent to go to arts and culture, as well as sport, but we decided on 20 per cent for arts and culture,” said Antonson, who explained a committee comprised of Games board members and a representative from the district’s parks and recreation department helped determine how to spend the legacy money.
While the money will be invested into the community, Antonson added $2,000 of the $12,000 going to arts and culture will be used to create something that will provide a permanent remembrance of the Games.
In addition to the legacy fund, the Games also left behind close to $26,000 in sporting equipment at Hemlock Valley Resort, and electrical improvements to Hemlock and Mission Raceway Park.
Mission also now has a database of more than 400 volunteers who are ready to jump into future events.
But the biggest impact from the Games were the “smiles,” said Antonson. “The Games made a tremendous impact on our community economy, enthusiasm, and spirit, and left Mission feeling very accomplished.
The next BC Winter Games takes place in Penticton in 2016.
