Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Remembrance Day

A particular day to remember the final sacrifice of many who died in WW1 and WW2 and the Korean conflict as well as other theatres of conflict that Canadians have died in.

Stand for 2 minutes. Remember.

Sunday, November 08, 2009

Toronto to Host 2015 Pan Am Games!!

Wonderful!

In the bid process, there often is little focus on the competitions and the athletes. THEY are what the PAG are all about, as far as sports people are concerned.

There will be important and sorely needed facilities built or refurbished in the Toronto area.

Canada, and Ontario, need 50m pools desperately, and the PAG will result in an update for the Etobicoke Olympium and 2/3 additional pools.

Canada will continue to have a tough time internationally until we get sufficient facilities for our athletes to train in, whenther it is pools or tracks or fields, or gyms.....we are in desperate need of facilities.

Kingston City Council has put discussion of an indoor 50m pool on its farthest back burner, and instead (if you can believe it) is going to build an outdoor pool and all the trimmings that the current staff could think of, at the Memorial Centre. To the tune of $6million. Yup, 6 million, of which 2 million is purported to come from senior levels of government.

This for a season that, at its BEST, runds from around the long weekend in May, to some time in September. I know this. I swam outdoors from May 19th to October 2 this year, and I can tell you that even with heated water, only the keen will swim.

So, at best there are 3.5 months that this extravagent facility will be used. With 4 lanes. Good grief!

Let's hope that the city hires someone who knows how to program a facility like this! And for my councillor to talk about parents/caregivers sitting around the pool reading a book.....honestly. Incredible. Let's wait to hear the entrance fees and the rental fees and the cost of classes. Don't bet on a lot of people sitting around reading a book...on the only occasion that I swam at Henderson Pool late this summer, I had my own lane, my friend had her own lane, and there were about 6 others in the pool (at the "adult swim" time). One woman sat in the sun.

Friday, November 06, 2009

2015 Pan Am Games

PASO decides this afternoon if Lima, Bogota or Toronto gets the PAG.
One should keep the comment of IOC member Richard Pound in mind: North Americans don't really know 'how to play the game.'
This decision, like all Games decisions, will be (has been???) made in the backrooms.