As the final week of the Games came to a close I felt the emotions rising. After a journey of close to five years, Prince George has hosted the nation with class, over the top energy and the graciousness I have come to know and love about this community. The athletes, coaches and family members have headed home with all forms of memorabilia but most importantly a once in a lifetime experience that will be forever etched in their memories no matter if this was the pinnacle of a career or the launch pad to stardom. I am surely biased but believe we changed our nation's perception of this great community and Northern BC but I hope we also changed our view of ourselves.
When I decided to get involved in the 2015 Host Society it was with a goal and that was to see Prince George realize itself for the great community of people that I have always seen it to be. Over the last 26 years, I have often sensed a perception of hesitance when people spoke of their community. What a surprise as I got involved in the Games and found that many of the other early volunteers were driven by the same goal.
Over the duration of the 2015 Canada Winter Games, I spoke to close to a hundred different athletes, coaches, parents and visitors with not one disparaging comment and every single person commented on how great the people in this community were. Throughout the games I felt proud to be Canadian and fortunate to have lived more than half my life in this great community that the nation had finally discovered.
I truly hope that the legacy of the 2015 Canada Games will be that the people of Prince George accept the overwhelming feedback for the compliment that it is, never forget it and continue to build off the momentum that has begun. Be proud, Prince George, because you certainly made me proud and the nation left with an exceptional perception of Northern BC.
Brett Robinson
President Canfor Pulp
