Through support from Tourism Abbotsford and PacificSport Fraser Valley, the newly formed Sport Abbotsford hosted a sport-focused all-candidates meeting on Nov. 5 to discuss sports related issues.
All mayoral, council, and school trustee candidates were invited to the Abbotsford Rugby and Football Club to explain their involvement with local sport and their vision for the development of sport in Abbotsford.
Thirty-three candidates answered questions from both Sport Abbotsford and the audience. Topics included infrastructure, attracting major sporting events, physical education, and collaboration between the city, school district, and sport groups.
Many candidates responded that they first need to hear from the collective sport community in order to make informed decisions about sport development. Having just formed earlier this year, Sport Abbotsford says they seek to fulfill this role by providing a strong, unified voice for sport in Abbotsford through which they can help all local sporting organizations, the big and the small, to grow and thrive. Sport Abbotsford has now filled a recently vacant seat on the Parks, Recreation and Culture Commission.
“Sport Abbotsford began with the simple belief that a unified voice for sport is more effective at getting things done than many singular ones,” says Trevor Wight, chair of Sport Abbotsford.
“Everyone in Abbotsford benefits if we invest in sport and physical activity; our kids, our sporting groups, our schools and our businesses. We look forward to working with our elected officials towards helping our city realize its full sporting potential.”
Sport Abbotsford is now planning for 2015, the “Year of Sport”, and welcomes all sport or physical activity enthusiasts to their meetings on the third Wednesday of every month at the Abbotsford Rugby and Football Club from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Learn more at sportabbotsford.ca