The B.C. 55-Plus Games are coming to Nanaimo next year and preparations have already started with the appointments of two key leadership positions.
Diana Johnstone has accepted the role as president and Mary Smith as vice-president to lead the formation of a board of directors. Both are volunteer positions appointed by Nanaimo city council.
The first tasks for Johnstone and Smith will be to oversee the establishment of a nomination committee which will assemble an 11-member board of directors. The team will lead the planning and implementation of the Nanaimo games.
Johnstone has been involved with several provincial-level sporting events hosted in Nanaimo, including the B.C. Summer Games in 1985, 2002 and 2014, the B.C. Disability Games in 1987 and 2005 and the B.C. Seniors Games in 2007. Johnstone was a two-term city councillor and was presented with Freedom of the City in 2014.
Smith was involved with the last two B.C. Summer Games events in Nanaimo, as city staff liaison in 2002 and then as a volunteer in 2014. She retired after a 34-year career with the cityB次元官网网址檚 parks, recreation and culture department.
The B.C. 55-Plus Games, which will be held Sept. 9-13, 2025, will encompass more than two dozen sports plus cultural and social opportunities, and could draw up to 4,000 participants as well as coaches, officials and spectators.
B次元官网网址淭his is just the beginningB次元官网网址次元官网网址� Johnstone said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l put together a strong team to co-ordinate the activities and weB次元官网网址檙e really looking forward to it. ItB次元官网网址檚 an amazing event for the city.B次元官网网址�
Nanaimo already has a lot of the necessary venues needed to host the games.
B次元官网网址淥bviously, the City of Nanaimo is a partner in this with us and so weB次元官网网址檒l have access to parks and recreation facilities for much of the sports and activities,B次元官网网址� Smith said. B次元官网网址淚n addition to that, though, there are other sports and we have already, in the bidding process, gone out to some of those facility operators and gotten their support. In past years, weB次元官网网址檝e used private facilities for some of the sports.B次元官网网址�
Johnstone described the games as B次元官网网址渞eally a mid Island regional eventB次元官网网址� and so Nanaimo may consider venues in Ladysmith and Parksville as well.
To support the games, the building that used to be the visitor infocentre, at the Nanaimo Parkway and Northfield Road, will be re-purposed as the B.C. 55-Plus Games organizing committee headquarters.
Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog, in a press release, said the city is thrilled that Johnstone and Smith will be able to bring so much passion and experience to the games leadership.
B次元官网网址淭hese games will showcase our exceptional sport hosting facilities and the welcoming nature of Nanaimo,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 am confident in their leadership as we develop an unforgettable experience for athletes, officials and spectators alike. Let the planning begin.B次元官网网址�
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