Summerland’s municipal council is working to acquire a bobsleigh to display in the community, but a location to display it has not yet been determined.
Coun. Doug Holmes said the idea for the bobsleigh display came in June, when he spoke with Summerland Olympic bobsleigh athlete Justin Kripps.
In February, Kripps was tied for gold in the two-man bobsleigh competition at the Winter Olympics in PyongChang, South Korea.
Bobsleigh Canada has an older sled the organization would be willing to sell to the community for $7,500. With the additional costs of transporting the sleigh to Summerland and having it ready to display, the total price would be around $10,000, said Linda Tynan, chief administrative officer for Summerland.
A new four-man sled costs up to $120,000.
“There are not many sleds anywhere on permanent display so to have one in Summerland would be unique and, I think, would prove to be a big attraction,” Holmes said. “It’s also, of course, a great way to pay tribute to the amazing achievement of a home-grown Olympic hero and serve as inspiration for today’s youth.”
Holmes said there was a bobsleigh on display temporarily at the Whistler Village during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
He would like to see a sleigh in Summerland on display in a prominent location where people can stop and take pictures with it.
Tynan said council members are now considering where to display a bobsleigh.
One of the proposed locations is the new Summerland skatepark, under construction at Jubilee Road and Rosedale Avenue. However, a decision on the site has not yet been finalized, she said.
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