Ramping up

National 2023 bid committee will be visiting P.E.I. on Sept. 19-20 to assess the province’s ability to host the event

The drive for the 2023 Canada Games on P.E.I. is beginning to ramp up, and the local bid committee is inviting Islanders to show their enthusiasm.

The national bid committee will be in the province Sept. 19-20 to evaluate the local bid committee’s bid package and determine if P.E.I. can host the 2023 Games.

One of the components of the bid is to show community support. So, the local bid committee has devised a business-to-business plan to try to get 2,000 people or more to simply show support as easily as possible with no commitment involved.

Any Islander can jump in and show their support simply by going to http://canadawintergames2023.ca/ and entering the first three digits of their postal code.

P.E.I.’s bid is an Island bid and not a competitive process of pitting one community against another.

Wayne Carew, who co-chairs the bid committee with Brian McFeely, said phase one of the bid process was to look at the facilities that will be used.

“The 20-odd sports that we’re going to be doing have to adhere to their national standards,’’ Carew said. “These are competitive events leading (to) somebody going to the Olympics, so you can’t have a pool that’s a foot too short or a track that’s a little too short. There are national standards around all those sports.’’

P.E.I. passed that phase.

Now comes the second phase: meeting the people involved.

“They want the documentation to substantiate what’s our plan for housing and feeding the athletes and transporting them. At the airport you have 4,000 athletes all arriving at the same time (and you have to show them) how you are going to feed them and provide 1,000 meals an hour.’’

The national bid committee will also be assessing P.E.I.’s bilingual capability and handicapped accessibility. All venues must be accessible.

Edna Flood, P.E.I.’s bid manager, also pointed out that Tanya Gallant will act as chairwoman of the cultural component of the Games.

A final decision will be made shortly after a board meeting on Sept. 27.

As part of hosting the national bid representatives, a free barbecue and community event, featuring Canada Games alumni like Heather Moyse and Dave “Eli” MacEachern, will be held on the Charlottetown waterfront from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 20.

Carew notes that 60 per cent of Olympic medallists are Canada Games alumni.

Heather Howatt, who handles marketing for the local bid committee, has no doubt P.E.I. is ready and will show that support at the barbecue.

“We have such a proud history in hosting sport events,’’ Howatt said. “We have to demonstrate that and get some people out and show that enthusiasm.’’

Carew said, according to Sports Canada, the economic impact of hosting a Canada Games is $100 million.

2023 also happens to be the 150th anniversary of P.E.I. joining Confederation.

“We have such a proud history in hosting sport events. We have to demonstrate that and get some people out and show that enthusiasm.’’

Heather Howatt

DAVE STEWART/THE GUARDIAN The national Canada Games bid committee will be on P.E.I. Sept. 19-20 to further assess the province’s ability to host the 2023 Canada Winter Games. The local bid committee, from left, Heather Howatt, marketing, Wayne Crew, cochairman, and Edna Flood, bid manager, have put together various bid books like this one the national committee will be looking at. It contains information, including how the local committee plans on handling challenges such as housing, feeding and transportation.