Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Winter 2010/2011

them to participate in sports and physical activity, and ultimately to build champions by providing the programs, tools and support young athletes need to reach and succeed at higher levels. The last Canada Games took place in Whitehorse, indeed a unique destination for many of the young athletes competing. It was leading up to Whitehorse that Subaru became enamoured with the idea of the Games as well as becoming involved as a corporate sponsor. “Sponsorship is so important to the Games, from both an experience and a financial perspective,” says Chris Morrissey, Chief Executive Officer, Halifax 2011 Canada Games and General Manager of the 2007 Whitehorse Games. As the “Official Automobile Provider," Subaru not only provided vehicles for transportation, but also a warming tent dubbed the Legacy Lounge, which was a very popular meeting point outside the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the FEATURE CANADA GAMES – A LASTING LEGACY From February 11–27, the Halifax 2011 Canada Games will provide Canadian athletes with a tremendous opportunity to compete with the best in the nation and give the rest of us the thrill of watching them bring their best game. Their medals and memories will be their own personal legacy. But, long after those 18 great days are behind us, the legacy the Canada Games leaves with the nation and the host community is something that will last for decades to come. Since the ﬁrst Games in 1967, close to 500 venues in host communities have been built or upgraded to national standards resulting in the availability of quality facilities in which to train and host other provincial, national or international events. For the Halifax 2011 Canada Games, several building projects, including the new $42-million Canada Games Centre, which will host artistic gymnastics, synchronized swimming and badminton, were undertaken. The state-of-the-art, 176,000-square-foot multipurpose Canada Games Centre will be the premier infrastructure legacy of the Games. Funding came from national, provincial and municipal governments, plus monies raised in the community and through corporate partnerships. The additional $15 million in capital upgrades to existing facilities will allow Nova Scotia to meet each of the 20 Canada Games sports’ requirements and provide a lasting infrastructure for athletes, particularly young athletes, to train and compete in the future. Along with the Canada Games Centre, other sites in and around the Halifax Regional Municipality received important upgrades. At St. Margaret’s Centre, one rink was converted to an international-size ice surface. The Tower at Saint Mary’s University has received better squash facilities and major improvements have taken place at Nova Scotia’s two major ski hills, Ski Martock and Ski Wentworth. As the venue for cross-country (including biathlon), Martock’s acreage of trails doubled and a new stadium where athletes in both sports will train and compete was built. As the only province without biathlon facilities, this is a boon to competitors in the province. For athletes competing in these Games, their “human” legacy will be in what they take away. Melissa MacKinnon, who competed in her ﬁrst Canada Games at the age of 19 as co-captain for Nova Scotia’s women’s softball team, says it best. “The Canada Games are about excellence, and from my Games experience, I learned that you can always be better prepared; you can always push yourself harder. At the Canada Games, you’re surrounded by young, motivated, smart, energized people. You simply can’t help but be inspired.” For future generations of athletes aspiring to the greatness achieved by many past Canada Games athletes, the “physical” legacy that past Canada Games have left behind will help them to create their own “human” legacy. The brand new Canada Games Centre will play host to synchronized swimming, badminton and artistic gymnastics at the Halifax 2011 Canada Games, but will also serve the people of Halifax for generations to come as a multi-purpose community recreation centre.

Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Winter 2010/2011 | Page 35