Whitehorse gets top marks for games planning

Provincial team leaders and other sport officials for the 2007 Canada Winter Games are giving Whitehorse their seal of approval.

The group is touring the Yukon capitol and the games facilities first-hand, checking out the venues and the plans for the games.

Whitehorse will host 22 sport and cultural events throughout the two-week period starting next Feb. 24, the first time the games are being held in a territory. About 3,500 athletes, coaches and officials from across the country are expected to converge on the city.

Blair MacIntosh, the chef de mission for Ontario, says he and his colleagues have been impressed with what they've seen so far.

"If you listen after every presentation they say 'is there any questions' and if there's none, that's a good sign, and there haven't been many," he says.

The tour included a look at the new $44-million Canada Games Centre.

"I think it's a beautiful facility for the athletes to come and participate in," says Nunavut's Frank Tootoo. "I think the Yukon is going to have some great legacies here for the athletes and the coaches to participate in the years to come."

New Brunswick's chef de mission, Grant Sinclair, says he's impressed with what's been done to get ready for the 2007 games, but says the one cloud still hanging over the event could be volunteer recruitment.

Sinclair says it's been tough in other communities similar in size to Whitehorse.

"I think probably the host society will be challenged a bit finding volunteers," he says. "I know in smaller communities, they tend to have that as a challenge. I know in New Brunswick in 2003 we hosted in northern New Brunswick and it was a challenge our host society faced."

Sinclair says, however, that with enough effort, communities can be convinced to rally around.

Some of the chefs de mission say there are bound to be some questions that come up about the event, but overall they're pleased with the venues and plans.

They say from now until the start of the games in one year, they'll stay in close touch with the local organizers.