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Tradition has it that the torch from the Summer Olympics and Paralympics is handed off to the next host of the Summer Games — in this case from Beijing to London. However, the reality is that it’s Canada’s and B.C.’s turn next, and that calls for a community celebration.
The Resort Municipality of Whistler is hosting the family-friendly event with the look and feel of decision day in 2003 — this time, thankfully, without the gut-wrenching suspense wondering whether Vancouver-Whistler would get the Games.
The celebration will have a significant focus on the Paralympics, so the RMOW asked Whistler’s Leslie Clarke, who spent five years with Canada’s Para-Alpine ski team (head coach for three) to help municipal staff coordinate the celebration. Given her experience with sport and accessibility issues, Clarke is a great choice to help rally the corridor behind the goal of getting behind the Paralympics.
Clarke says the Sept. 16 event will honour Olympic and Paralympic athletes of the 2008 Games and build excitement for 2010. “We are going to get the word out to schools and try and get as many people out from the corridor as we can,” she says, adding, “it’s a fantastic opportunity get together and feel that you are part of the Games.”
Starting at 4 p.m., Clarke says there will be hands-on winter and summer Paralympic sports demos for people to try. Development-team athletes will help get people engaged with the special equipment from the various sports.
At 5 p.m. the main event will feature partner First Nations, speakers including Whistler skiing sensation Britt Janyk, and performances by amazing singer/songwriter Justin Hines. Hines, who’s touring Beijing for the Paralympics, will be a showstopper and he’ll put the exclamation mark on one of the event’s underlying themes that it’s all about ability.
In addition, Clarke says there will be a slide show from Beijing produced and narrated by Whistler’s Brad Lennea (national team Para-alpine skier) and Squamish’s Sarah Tipler (District of Squamish’s Accessibility Committee). The pair took cameras with them to document their experience this week as torchbearers at the Beijing Paralympics.
Clarke says there will be registration computers on site and she hopes people will be inspired to sign up to volunteer at the Games and all the test events leading up to 2010. “It takes a lot of people to produce what we’ve just seen from Beijing and the key for 2010 will be community involvement.”
For Clarke, the goal of the event is to get the spirit of the Games going but also to help raise awareness that Whistler needs to take responsibility for putting on the Paralympics. “This means we have to think differently for different people,” she says.
“This is what our entire resort is based on anyway,” Clarke says. “Tourism is about accommodating people and the resort is strengthened by focusing on people with disabilities and their challenges.
“We need to own this concept of accommodating all people all the time, not just for a future sporting event.”
