Squamish will have a voice at the Beijing Games this summer thanks to local business owner George Chang. Chang is heading to China with a contingency from the Whistler Forum for Leadership and Dialogue to promote Squamish at the B.C. Canada Pavilion Sept. 8 and 9.Chang will join the 30 other members of the Whistler Forum's Leadership Sea to Sky program as they present The Harmony Project, whose goal is to build relationships with China.The invitation came out of a random conversation that Chang had two weeks ago with Dave Thomson, the business development leader of the Squamish Sustainability Corporation (SSC), and who was one of the four Sea to Sky citizens to put the Beijing proposal together."It was last minute," said Chang, who is the owner of Pause Café in the Adventure Centre and is one of the founding members of the District of Squamish Business Association (DSBIA)."After talking to [Dave Thomson], I took it upon myself to look into the project, and said, 'You know what? I would like to go, I would like to participate and represent Squamish somehow."Most of the funding for Chang's trip to Beijing is coming out of his own pocket, although 10 per cent of the trip's cost will be paid by the SSC. Chang hopes to shine a spotlight on Squamish as being the "great outdoor capital of Canada" and "a heart for tourism", rather than a quick stopover on the way to Whistler."The most important part is the dialogue, to go out there, letting them know Squamish still exists, because we do have 30-some-ought members from Whistler and one from Britannia," he said. "I would like to have the bridge to introduce myself as a Squamish representative, to capture all the benefits that we can do, for the economy, for tourism.""George is a great representative," said Thomson, who chose not to go to Beijing because he felt The Harmony Project was not in "direct alignment" with the "current economic objectives of the community.""He speaks the language andhe's very dedicated to this community.""He's going there with heart and he will come back and share with the Chamber all that he's learned so that we can capitalize on it."The two-day presentation of The Harmony Project will focus on leadership in tourism, sport, recreation and sustainable communities, as it "showcases the rich diversity of Whistler and the Sea to Sky region of British Columbia", as outlined in the project's program.Chang will have a business package that is typically given to foreign investors, information on both Quest University and Capilano College, and a DVD on tourism in Squamish as materials to hand out to Chinese delegates and representatives at the B.C. Canada Pavilion.Those interested in joining The Harmony Project contact William Roberts at [email protected].
