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City helps upcoming EK Invitational
The Cranbrook Skating Club is hosting about 200 out-of-town skaters Dec. 2-4 during the East Kootenay Invitational Competition.
Along with about 30 local/regional skaters, the competition will rank as one of the largest skating events in recent history in the Key City.
However, the task of staging such a large event requires some significant finances.
Kim Supina, president of the Cranbrook Skating Club, asked the City of Cranbrook in a Nov. 10 letter for help with ice and facility rental costs, noting the large number of skaters arriving from out-of-town has boosted ice costs to more than $5,000.
“Our club works hard with our families to minimize costs through various fundraising activities throughout the year. However, we find that each year garnering support becomes more difficult as we compete as a community for fundraising ideas and events with other non-profit and for-profit organizations,” Supina noted.
Skaters will be coming from Alberta and Montana, she pointed out. “They will be visiting our area, staying for as many as four nights, touring our city and visiting our businesses. With this influx of travellers to Cranbrook, this event definitely creates some positive economic activity!”
Coun. Tom Shypitka agreed.
“Their expenses have gone up a lot” because of the unexpected influx of competitors, who will range in age from five to adult, he said, noting the benefit to city accommodators and other businesses.
“It’s good for business,” Shypitka said, before making a motion to have the city provide $1,000 to the club from the Council Contingency Fund.
The support from the city would be “a one-off; not an annual thing,” Shypitka added.
Council last night unanimously agreed to provide the funds.
As for the upcoming event itself, Supina said it is going be a busy weekend and hopes the club can garner support from the city.
“Some skaters will compete in four or five events! Skaters are scored based on Skate Canada judging system. These scores count toward their overall achievement and will determine if they will have the opportunity to compete provincially each year. It is a highly technical system and one of the biggest costs to clubs for hosting is that we must cover the entire rental for technology such as computers and printers, travel, meals and accommodations for the Skate Canada officials,” she said.
“We bring in judges and officials from all over the province to officiate at the competition. The officials themselves volunteer their time,” she continued, pointing out that hosting competitions is “becoming more and more difficult each year for skating clubs in smaller city centres across the Kootenays. Ice costs and facility rentals continue to increase each year and the cost of travel is becoming more expensive for families of skaters, judges, officials and coaches. The past few years our figure skating clubs have seen a downward trend in registrations as this treasured Canadian sport becomes less accessible to families,” Supina noted in her letter to the city.
– Ian Cobb/e-KNOW
