New Canadian Training Center
Panorama Mountain Village, B.C. - In partnership with BC Alpine, Alpine Canada Alpin has secured a $195,000 contribution from Western Economic Diversification Canada, a $100,000 loan from the 2010 LegaciesNow Society and support from Panorama Mountain Villages to enhance snowmaking capabilities in support of fall/winter training facilities with permanent safety equipment at Panorama Mountain Village, an Intrawest resort in south-east British Columbia.
The funding ensures Panorama can make available additional early-season training space for the Canadian Alpine Ski Team prior to opening to the public in December.
"We are committed to providing Canadian racers with the human, technical and financial resources required to become a world-leading racing nation by 2010," said Ken Read President of Alpine Canada Alpin. "Today, we are announcing the first phase in the development of a national training centre in western Canada."
Although training facilities will be available to other nations, Canadians will have first priority, including the athletes from the BC Provincial Ski Team.
"Tourists, visitors and athletes alike will gain from the world-class ski facilities here at Panorama," said the Honourable Stephen Owen, Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification) (Indian Affairs and Northern Development). "Not only are we investing in Canada's racing talent, we are also bringing lasting economic and social benefits to the surrounding communities."
"Partnering with Alpine Canada Alpin has made it possible for Panorama to capitalize on our extensive snowmaking infrastructure to produce more snow, earlier in the season. Our terrain, lift system and snowmaking capabilities ensure our early season training conditions are among the best in the world. We are honoured and very excited to be a part of developing Canadian athletes enroute to the 2010 Vancouver-Whistler Olympic Games," says Gord Ahrens, Panorama's Vice-President and General Manager.
With on-site dryland training facilities, slopeside accommodation, and restaurants, Panorama has a long legacy of being a race and training venue for elite athletes. Show-Off, Panorama's main training run, is an FIS-standard race slope.
Members of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team are currently training at Panorama Mountain Village in preparation for the only Canadian stop on the World Cup circuit, and the World Cup's opening speed events - the CIBC Lake Louise Winterstart, Nov. 29-30 and December 5, 6, 7.
A department of the Government of Canada, Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) stimulates the development and diversification of Western Canada's economy and advances the interests of the West.
"By providing sport development funds to sport centres in the regions, we're helping provide services to athletes throughout B.C. to ensure they can perform at their best," said 2010 LegaciesNow Society president Marion Lay.
2010 LegaciesNow is the province-wide sport development program introduced by British Columbia as a public-private partnership with the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corp. The program supports sport legacies in the years leading up to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Alpine Canada Alpin is the governing body for ski racing in Canada. Its 27,000 members are athletes, coaches and officials, including the elite racers of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team and the Canadian Disabled Alpine Ski Team.