Langley Sports Facilities, "admired and envied".
By Al Irwin - Langley Times - May 09, 2008
The Langleys are “admired and envied” by sports leaders in older Lower Mainland municipalities with aging infrastructure and a shortage of both available and suitable land, says a Sports Tourism in the Langleys report.
The final report of the “Winning Bids Research Project” notes that: “The design, quality and maintenance of Langley facilities, in both the Township and the City, are a strength.”
For sport tourism purposes, most City and Township sport amenities are quality places for their users, the report says.
The report focuses on the venues for large events, and says that McLeod Athletic Park is an extensive complex capable of hosting large soccer, softball and baseball events.
The report says that the centrepiece of the McLeod park is the grandstand, a unique facility to the region.
“South Aldergrove Park and Walnut Grove Park are considered jewels in the baseball community. The City’s Al Anderson Memorial Pool is the baseball Nat Bailey Stadium equivalent, (with its) eight-lane outdoor pool and beautiful setting,” the report says.
The report also looks into the private sector, including equestrian complexes “unique to Langley. . . well-known for their setting in the equestrian sport tourism sector,” the report says.
But while the report looks into a wide variety of sports, and local venues, from basketball to gymnastics and hockey, swimming, tennis, track and field and volleyball, it does not specifically name what is becoming recognized as a premium venue in the province, for rowing, kayaking and canoeing events — Bedford Channel in Fort Langley.
Mayor Kurt Alberts said that while the Winning Bids Research Project doesn’t discuss rowing, canoeing and kayaking, it does specifically mention the Bedford Channel, and the great potential it has “as a venue for major rowing events.”
Alberts said that an announcement is in the offing for a major rowing event.
Council voted unanimously to amend the report, to add Bedford Channel to the venues list.
Council also unanimously approved a request to change meeting frequency of the Sport Langley Advisory Committee (SLAC) to an annual general meeting, rather than the current quarterly meetings. The annual meeting will allow staff to establish work plan priorities for the coming year, and to allow the members to establish task forces and elect a representative to the Tourism Langley Board.
The Sport Langley Advisory Council is a joint venture between the City and the Township, created out of the Langley Sport Tourism Strategy, endorsed by both councils in 2005. Municipal staff has been working with SLAC, a committee of various volunteers from community sports groups, the education and business communities, to encourage sports tourism.
The Winning Bids study examined existing tournaments and championships, and overnight stays generated (one soccer tournament attracts 4,800, with 45 per cent overnight stays); and many issues ranging from volunteering, event master planning, welcoming packages for out of town sports-events visitors, financial assistance for smaller sports organizations which have bid successfully for large events, better direction signs to major venues, and media relations and sponsorships.
The study also looked at the competition, from Abbotsford and other Lower Mainland towns, as well as towns like Prince George and Kamloops.
More At McLeod
The Winning Bids Research Project report says that McLeod Athletic Park stadium, once finished in 2009, with fibre-optic media centre, change and washrooms, concession, team equipment storage, office space for amateur sports groups, meeting/teaching space and newly-turfed main field, will be the centrepiece for the 2010 B.C. Summer Games in Langley.
To create opportunities, optimize use, and truly open up the scope of potential events, a decision is required on fencing, required for events involving promoters and paying spectators.
With admission control and additional bleacher seating, events of up to 3,000, including Whitecaps’ exhibition soccer, international junior soccer and other tournaments could be attracted.
The report makes 37 recommendations, ranging from building volunteer capacity, youth training for volunteering, greater integration of SLAC with Tourism Langley, a review of the Langley Sport Tourism Strategy, image branding for Langley sports tourism, a master event calendar website, a tournament event grant program, an events staff resource and a municipal website for sports groups preparing bids.
Bids for various events are recommended, including the Provincial Gymnastics Championships (for the new Langley Events Centre after 2009), support for Trinity Western University soccer, volleyball and basketball bids at LEC. and many other events from basketball and equestrian competitions, to hockey, and skating championships.
The Langleys are “admired and envied” by sports leaders in older Lower Mainland municipalities with aging infrastructure and a shortage of both available and suitable land, says a Sports Tourism in the Langleys report.
The final report of the “Winning Bids Research Project” notes that: “The design, quality and maintenance of Langley facilities, in both the Township and the City, are a strength.”
For sport tourism purposes, most City and Township sport amenities are quality places for their users, the report says.
The report focuses on the venues for large events, and says that McLeod Athletic Park is an extensive complex capable of hosting large soccer, softball and baseball events.
The report says that the centrepiece of the McLeod park is the grandstand, a unique facility to the region.
“South Aldergrove Park and Walnut Grove Park are considered jewels in the baseball community. The City’s Al Anderson Memorial Pool is the baseball Nat Bailey Stadium equivalent, (with its) eight-lane outdoor pool and beautiful setting,” the report says.
The report also looks into the private sector, including equestrian complexes “unique to Langley. . . well-known for their setting in the equestrian sport tourism sector,” the report says.
But while the report looks into a wide variety of sports, and local venues, from basketball to gymnastics and hockey, swimming, tennis, track and field and volleyball, it does not specifically name what is becoming recognized as a premium venue in the province, for rowing, kayaking and canoeing events — Bedford Channel in Fort Langley.
Mayor Kurt Alberts said that while the Winning Bids Research Project doesn’t discuss rowing, canoeing and kayaking, it does specifically mention the Bedford Channel, and the great potential it has “as a venue for major rowing events.”
Alberts said that an announcement is in the offing for a major rowing event.
Council voted unanimously to amend the report, to add Bedford Channel to the venues list.
Council also unanimously approved a request to change meeting frequency of the Sport Langley Advisory Committee (SLAC) to an annual general meeting, rather than the current quarterly meetings. The annual meeting will allow staff to establish work plan priorities for the coming year, and to allow the members to establish task forces and elect a representative to the Tourism Langley Board.
The Sport Langley Advisory Council is a joint venture between the City and the Township, created out of the Langley Sport Tourism Strategy, endorsed by both councils in 2005. Municipal staff has been working with SLAC, a committee of various volunteers from community sports groups, the education and business communities, to encourage sports tourism.
The Winning Bids study examined existing tournaments and championships, and overnight stays generated (one soccer tournament attracts 4,800, with 45 per cent overnight stays); and many issues ranging from volunteering, event master planning, welcoming packages for out of town sports-events visitors, financial assistance for smaller sports organizations which have bid successfully for large events, better direction signs to major venues, and media relations and sponsorships.
The study also looked at the competition, from Abbotsford and other Lower Mainland towns, as well as towns like Prince George and Kamloops.
More At McLeod
The Winning Bids Research Project report says that McLeod Athletic Park stadium, once finished in 2009, with fibre-optic media centre, change and washrooms, concession, team equipment storage, office space for amateur sports groups, meeting/teaching space and newly-turfed main field, will be the centrepiece for the 2010 B.C. Summer Games in Langley.
To create opportunities, optimize use, and truly open up the scope of potential events, a decision is required on fencing, required for events involving promoters and paying spectators.
With admission control and additional bleacher seating, events of up to 3,000, including Whitecaps’ exhibition soccer, international junior soccer and other tournaments could be attracted.
The report makes 37 recommendations, ranging from building volunteer capacity, youth training for volunteering, greater integration of SLAC with Tourism Langley, a review of the Langley Sport Tourism Strategy, image branding for Langley sports tourism, a master event calendar website, a tournament event grant program, an events staff resource and a municipal website for sports groups preparing bids.
Bids for various events are recommended, including the Provincial Gymnastics Championships (for the new Langley Events Centre after 2009), support for Trinity Western University soccer, volleyball and basketball bids at LEC. and many other events from basketball and equestrian competitions, to hockey, and skating championships.
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