The Nakusp Seniors hall was filled with people representing a vast array of sports and recreation interests and organizations currently established in Nakusp.
The reason for the May 14 meeting, was the North Kootenay Sports and Recreation Council was holding a public meeting to talk about its plans for sports and recreation throughout the region.
Val Mayes, the project coordinator for the proposed North Kootenay Sport and Recreation Council initiative, offered her diagnosis of the current state of activites in Naksup.
Mayes commented that through her conversations regarding the needs of the community it appears that Nakusp is suffering from what she calls STP, or in other words, “same ten people”; a reference to the notion that 80 per cent of the work being completed by sports and recreation organizations is being done by a 20 per cent group of dedicated and enthusiastic people. The proposed North Kootenay Sport and Recreation Council intends to remedy this ailment by forming a council with the design of coordinating services and volunteers for its members. The initiative is being funded by the Columbia Basin Trust and originated from discussions by the organizers of the Kaslo Sufferfest.
The process has involved hiring Mayes as a consultant to oversee the project, who then called into action a working group who will begin shaping the bare bones of what a sport and recreation council might look like.
The working group meet three times prior to this meeting and was represented by four of its members; Troy Clark, Kip Drobish, Joleen Minchin and Barb Chwachka.
Janis Neufeld, local running coach and member of the cross country ski club, clarified that the North Kootenay Sports and Rec Council initiative should not be confused with the CBT’s formation of the Pacific Sport Columbia Basin, which is a collaboration with VIASPORT and whose main focus will be to administer sports by funding paid positions in all of the communities situated in the basin area.
The Kootenay Council is not connected to the Pacific Sport in any organizational way, but will be an effective entity that will potentially work within the larger regional plan.
Mayes was supportive and energetic during the meeting, and assured the group of sports minded community members that this council “is really about helping your organizations so you can do your jobs better.”
This public meeting is to be the first in a series of discussions that will take place throughout the Kootenays including areas around the north Kootenay Lake, the Slocan Lake and the Arrow Lakes reservoir.