Check Out These Fantastic Photos
We’ve been so lucky to have such a great crew of volunteer photographers, helping us capture this years’ games and memorialize all the wonderful athletes, volunteers, and spectators.
Great Volunteer Effort Over The Weekend
Mountain Biking volunteers were out over the weekend in preparation for the events on Thursday and Friday
Eighteen keen volunteers came out for three hours of work followed by a BBQ and drinks sponsored by the Kootenay Freewheelers Cycling Club
Many rocky, sandy and loose areas were improved upon, the athletes are in for a treat!
Merchandise Available For Purchase
55+ Games Merchandise will be available for purchase, during the course of the games, at the following locations:
Tuesday September 11th
Participant Accreditation – Kimberley Convention centre (301 N Star Blvd Kimberley)
Wednesday September 12th
MORNING Participant Accreditation – Kimberley Convention centre
EVENING Opening Ceremonies – Western Financial Place (1777 2nd Street North Cranbrook)
Thursday September 13th
MORNING Dragon Boat – Campers Beach Wasa Provincial Park (Hwy 95 Wasa BC )
EVENING Party in the Park – Cranbrook (134 10 Ave Cranbrook BC)
Friday September 14th
MORNING Track & Field – College of the Rockies (2700 College Way Cranbrook)
EVENING Casino Night and Dance – Kimberley Convention centre
Saturday September 15th
Volunteer Appreciation – Kimberley Convention centre
BC 55+ Games Participants to Receive Free Public Transit in Cranbrook Next Week
BC 55+ Games Participants to Receive Free Public Transit in Cranbrook Next Week
Cranbrook, BC (September 7, 2018) – All participants and volunteers for the Kimberley-Cranbrook BC 55+ Games will get to ride transit for free in Cranbrook from Wednesday September 12 to Friday September 14, proudly supported by Council.
All registered individuals will have an accreditation badge that confirms their participation in the Games, making it easy to identify for transit drivers in both Cranbrook and Kimberley.
The City of Cranbrook and BC Transit will be running a shuttle bus from all of the hotels, through Western Financial Place to the College of the Rockies from 7am to 10am Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. BC Transit’s regularly scheduled #5 bus will also run its usual route between Western Financial Place and the College of the Rockies to augment service.
The City of Kimberley is also providing free transit service to accredited athletes and volunteers, which was announced last week. In Kimberley, transit will provide an extra bus and driver specifically for transportation around the community and to and from the various locations, running from 7am to 3pm daily.
For more information, please contact:
Chris Zettel, Corporate Communications City of Cranbrook
Phone: 250-489-0238
Cell: 250-420-1686 chris.zettel@cranbrook.ca
Last Minute Call For Volunteers
The Kimberley/Cranbrook 2018 55+ BC Games are next week. This means our area will have more than 2,200 visitors next week! We want to make these 31st 55+ BC Games a great experience for everyone and we need your help to do it. The following events are in need of volunteers.
Cycling is looking for volunteers to be course marshalls, check in participants, work food and water stations and setting up barriers on September 13th, 14th, and 15th in the morning.
Swimming is looking for people to be timers the mornings of September 13th, 14th, and 15th.
Mountain Biking requires course marshalls September 13th and 14th in the morning.
Lawn Bowling is looking for people for measuring and scoring in September 13th and 14th in the mornings and afternoons.
Track and Field is looking for volunteers to help with the water and snack stations for the 10K run the morning of September 15th.
Tennis is seeking people with some tennis knowledge to act as court attendants at Cranbrook Mt. Baker tennis facilities on September 12th and 13th in the mornings and afternoons and the 14th in the morning.
To volunteer to help with these events go to https://www.bcseniorsgames.net/kmcn2018se to sign up.
City of Kimberley Evacuation Alert Rescinded
Great News Everybody!
KIMBERLEY, B.C. – The Evacuation Alert issued for the entire City of Kimberley on August 16th, 2018 has been rescinded as of 9:00 am on September 4th, 2018.
The guard lines at the Meachen Creek wildfire have held despite being tested by higher winds, lower relative humidity, and moderate temperatures. In recent days, lower temperatures and higher humidity levels overnight have provided better recovery which has shortened the burn window and reduced peak burn times.
With other fires across British Columbia becoming under control or being held within their perimeters, more human and mechanical resources, including aerial support, have been committed to the Meachen Creek fire. This has allowed for greater support in maintaining and extending guard lines and in fire suppression activities, increasing confidence in fire control.
The increased confidence led BC Wildfire Services to recommend rescinding the evacuation alert. Properties in the RDEK directly south and southeast of the City of Kimberley municipal boundary have also had their alert rescinded.
“We are grateful to all of the professional firefighters that have kept us untouched as we waited out this evacuation alert. Although we are off alert, they continue to fight this fire and we wish them a safe conclusion very soon”, states Mayor Don McCormick.
Cheers,
Scott Sommerville
Chief Administrative Officer
City of Kimberley
340 Spokane Street, Kimberley, BC
250.427.9668 ǀ SSommerville@kimberley.ca
Kimberley.ca
BC 55+ Games Participants to Receive Free Public Transit
BC 55+ Games participants to receive free public transit
From Sept. 11 to 15, participants will be able to ride the bus for free from 7a.m. to 3p.m. daily.
All participants and volunteers for the Cranbrook-Kimberley BC 55+ Games will receive free public transit from September 11 to 15.
Kimberley City Council approved the request from organizers Sally and David Struthers at a regular Council meeting on Monday.
Manager of Planning Services Troy Pollock says that there are no concerns with the request, as there are ample funds under an in-kind contribution that the City has already approved.
In terms of the service, the City and BC Transit will supply an extra bus and driver specifically for transportation around the city and to and from the various locations. The bus will run from 7a.m. to 3p.m. daily.
The Struthers explained in their letter to Council that the 2,200 participants and supporters will require daily transportation to get to their sport venues and special events. They have developed a transportation system that includes the use of School District 5 and 6 buses, courtesy vehicles provided by Denham Ford and Melody Motors and shuttle buses donated or rented by local and regional businesses.
All registered individuals will have an accreditation badge that confirms their participation in the Games, making them easily identifiable by transit drivers.
“This support will greatly assist us, especially for venues with limited parking spaces, where we are discouraging participants from using their own vehicles,” wrote the Struthers.
For those who require transportation from the airport, you must pre-book by submitting an online form before September 5. To book your airport transportation visit www.55plusgames.ca/transportation-services/.
Call For Volunteers
Call for Volunteers
Kimberley/Cranbrook 2018 55+ BC Games are just around the corner. The event will host approximately 2,200 athletes in 23 events in and around our cities.
An event of this size cannot take place without the hundreds of volunteers required for the games. One thousand volunteers will be needed for a variety of activities. The organization of the games sees the volunteer tasks broke down into many small pieces, so there is an opportunity for helping out, without having to make large time commitments.
With 23 sports, there is a need for volunteers to work with our Sport Chairs and officials to deliver quality events. If you sign up for specific sports, you will receive direction and training as needed. Many of our sports still need volunteers. Examples of the types of duty include items such as:
Track and Field
· raking and helping measure at the long/triple jump pits
· putting the high jump bar back up on the posts when its falls and help with the raising of the bar
· collecting throwing items for all the throwing events
· setting up and taking down hurdles
· helping with organizing athletes in their lanes for the short running events
· counting laps for the long distance running
· giving out water/Gatorade at the aid station on the 10k run
· preparing and giving out snacks at the end of the race
· general take set up and take down of equipment during the 4 days
Pickleball
– registrar who provides information, format, server wristband to participants, and other tasks
– marshalling teams to vacant courts
– scorekeepers
– identifying open courts to keep draw moving effectively
– general assistance, sweeping courts, assisting set up
While many sports still need a few more volunteers, track and field, pickleball, cycling, swimming and ice curling are low at this time.
In addition to sport specific tasks, there are a number of other directorates still requiring volunteers. These directorates (and a sample of a current need) are transportation (drivers), promotions (photographers), Special Events (assisting at the numerous special activities for participants and volunteers), Protocol (hosts that greet and provide information to participants at all sport venues), Registration and Results (checking in games participants at the accreditation centre), Administration (assisting in our equipment warehouse), Security (traffic control), Medical (first aid services at games venues), Communications (switchboard games info line) and Friends of the Games (assisting in recognition activities for games sponsors). These are just an example in each directorate, but other tasks are still needed.
To volunteer, please visit this link.
You will be contacted by a Volunteer Management Chair afterwards, who will discuss your availability, training times etc.
While we will take volunteers right up to the games if they are needed, we are hoping to have as many volunteers signed up early so they can attend our volunteer accreditation event on either Tuesday, August 28 from 5-9 pm at the Heritage Inn, or Wednesday, August 29 from 5-9 at the Marysville arena. This will be your opportunity to meet you Directors, pickup you volunteer badge and tshirt, as well as your information handbooks. If you can’t make these dates, or register afterwards, you will be able to pick up this material at our games office (address).
Let’s show our visitors how great our two communities are, by delivering an amazing games!
Transportation Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are needed for Transportation during the Games.
Volunteers may need to drive shuttle vehicles to transport participants to and from venues, answer the dispatch phone and assign drivers, and/or ride with the bus drivers to act as a travel host.
A driver’s abstract is needed.
To register to volunteer with Transportation or any other area of the Games go to https://www.bcseniorsgames.
The Medals Have Arrived!
The Kimberley/Cranbrook 2018 BC 55+ Games are fast approaching and the medals sponsored by Rio Tinto have arrived!
Approximately 1,800 medals will be awarded to participants of the Games, which will take place September 11-15 in both cities and the surrounding area. More than 2,500 participants will take part in the Games, competing in 23 events.
Volunteers are still being sought in a number of areas
To be a part of this exciting event go to https://www.bcseniorsgames.
In 1993 Cranbrook hosted the Games which saw 1,700 participants competing in 20 events.
This picture, courtesy Barb Roberts, shows how different the medals were 25 years ago, with Rocky and Rocksanne featured.
The 2018 medals were designed by Showcase Awards in Victoria, struck in eastern Canada, and feature the BC 55+ Games logo.
