The Vancouver Winter Olympics may be six years away, but Squamish's first steps towards hosting the youth of the world in 2010 are being taken this summer.
The Squamish Chamber of Commerce's 2010 Group announced Tuesday (June 15) the launch of the O-Zone Leadership Adventure Program and community relay Aug. 27-29 to celebrate the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
The camp, to take place at Squamish's Camp Summit in Brackendale, will bring up to 70 youths aged 11 to 13 to Squamish, including Vancouver inner-city youth, Squamish First Nations students, international sister city youth representatives from Japan and Italy as well as local elementary school students to learn about the values of the Olympic movement in a variety of sports and outdoor recreation opportunities. A group of Canadian Olympic athletes will be on site to provide their insights on the Olympic experience with a focus on leadership, team building and co-operation as well as sharing different cultural perspectives.
The camp will culminate in a community torch relay, a multi-sport relay that will take the "Fires of Friendship" on an elaborate route from Sea to Sky, finishing at the top of the Stawamus Chief, where participants will hold up Canadian flags and a "Squamish Welcomes the World" banner for an aerial photograph above the Chief.
According to organizer Anne Languedoc, the event is designed to bring the community closer to the rest of the "Olympic Family" in celebrating the Athens Games and showcase Squamish as a potential host for the Olympic Youth Academy in 2010.
Languedoc made the announcement at the Squamish Chamber of Commerce's general meeting Tuesday (June 15) with B.C. Small Business and Economic Development Minister John Les in attendance.
Squamish council also passed a motion at its meeting Tuesday offering support in principle for the event.
