Press Release
Pay up and be counted
Prince George Citizen
Sat 25 Oct 2008
Page: 6
Section: News
Dateline: VANCOUVER
Source: The Canadian Press
Community groups are being offered a chance to partner with the 2010 Winter Games if they're willing to pay a quarter of a million dollars.
A community contributor program has been launched by the 2010 Olympic organizing committee in a bid to engage more closely with local organizations.
If groups can't contribute $250,000, they can also work with organizers to make value-in-kind arrangements.
The deal is similar to the official supplier or sponsor categories set up by 2010 organizers, except at a much lower price point.
To be an official Olympic supplier, the minimum contribution is $3 million.
Five colleges and universities have already signed up for the program and will be giving space instead of cash.
The British Columbia Institute of Technology, Capilano University, Douglas College, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Langara College will turn over their parking spots and classrooms during the Games for volunteers and spectators to use.
"The beauty of this contributing agreement is that it's a marriage of both the transportation needs we needed in the Lower Mainland, but also getting access to students," said Donna Wilson, executive vice-president of workforce for the organizing committee.
The schools' parking lots will be used as park and ride locations for the shuttles taking spectators to events up in Whistler, B.C. In return for become community contributors, the schools get access to Olympic marketing opportunities, event tickets and a spot in the torch relay.
Students from the colleges will also get the opportunity to work, intern or do co-op placements during the Olympics.
"It's the type of learning that only comes along once in the a lifetime," said Shelley Kean of Capilano University.
Wilson said not only do organizers get to take advantage of the skills students are learning, it's also partly a way to work around the tight labour market in B.C.
"We're going to be targeting a number of areas, not just students," said Wilson. "We're going to be looking at new immigrants coming into Canada, we'll be looking at seniors. We're looking at a number of groups that we need to help us make sure we can hire everyone we need to in the next few months."
Pay up and be counted
Prince George Citizen
Sat 25 Oct 2008
Page: 6
Section: News
Dateline: VANCOUVER
Source: The Canadian Press
Community groups are being offered a chance to partner with the 2010 Winter Games if they're willing to pay a quarter of a million dollars.
A community contributor program has been launched by the 2010 Olympic organizing committee in a bid to engage more closely with local organizations.
If groups can't contribute $250,000, they can also work with organizers to make value-in-kind arrangements.
The deal is similar to the official supplier or sponsor categories set up by 2010 organizers, except at a much lower price point.
To be an official Olympic supplier, the minimum contribution is $3 million.
Five colleges and universities have already signed up for the program and will be giving space instead of cash.
The British Columbia Institute of Technology, Capilano University, Douglas College, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Langara College will turn over their parking spots and classrooms during the Games for volunteers and spectators to use.
"The beauty of this contributing agreement is that it's a marriage of both the transportation needs we needed in the Lower Mainland, but also getting access to students," said Donna Wilson, executive vice-president of workforce for the organizing committee.
The schools' parking lots will be used as park and ride locations for the shuttles taking spectators to events up in Whistler, B.C. In return for become community contributors, the schools get access to Olympic marketing opportunities, event tickets and a spot in the torch relay.
Students from the colleges will also get the opportunity to work, intern or do co-op placements during the Olympics.
"It's the type of learning that only comes along once in the a lifetime," said Shelley Kean of Capilano University.
Wilson said not only do organizers get to take advantage of the skills students are learning, it's also partly a way to work around the tight labour market in B.C.
"We're going to be targeting a number of areas, not just students," said Wilson. "We're going to be looking at new immigrants coming into Canada, we'll be looking at seniors. We're looking at a number of groups that we need to help us make sure we can hire everyone we need to in the next few months."