N.L. wasn't ready 6 years ago to host Canada Games — and still isn't: sports prof
Bas Kavanagh tapped for 2014 report on province's readiness. Most of its recommendations were ignored
When asked if Newfoundland and Labrador is ready to host the 2025 Canada Summer Games, retired sport psychology professor Bas Kavanagh is not optimistic.
"In a nutshell, no," he said.
His answer follows last week's bid announcement by the provincial government, when Premier Dwight Ball said he thinks the province is indeed ready.
Kavanagh and a handful of other important figures in the sports community were tasked by the provincial government in 2014 to assess what needed to be done to host the 2021 Canada Games.
The resulting report — titled "Medals Matter" — concluded the "current NL competitive sport system and structure is lacking in many capacities and requires a series of strategic actions and investments if a best ever performance is to be realized."
The following year, the provincial government decided to delay hosting, saying significant planning and infrastructure investment were needed, and the province was not ready.
Most of the report's recommendations were not followed, says Kavanagh.
"We basically examined what we would need to do to enhance our performance and we found out that systemic reorganization would be necessary through sport throughout the province as well as a lot of infrastructure issues needed to be dealt with."
For infrastructure alone, Kavanagh puts the price tag at between $150 million and $200 million.
The report cited the Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic's estimate of about four to six years before "systematic change can be entrenched."
Kavanagh says time is running out.
An emailed statement provided by a spokesperson for the Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development says the provincial government has set aside more than $700,000 through contributions to Sport NL and the Newfoundland Sports Centre, money which is earmarked for sport and athlete development.
CBC News emailed specific questions to Minister Lisa Dempster's office, including one inquiring why the provincial government believes there is sufficient time to prepare for the 2025 games, when in 2015 — and with more time — it was deemed it would be best to switch with another province for the 2021 games. That was not answered.
As for whether tenders have gone out, or architects hired for the required infrastructure projects, that also was not directly answered.
"This fund was created in response to the Medals Matter report," the statement reads.
"We are excited that the bid process is officially underway and we are now focusing our efforts on next steps that will help the City of St. John's and our province's athletes and sport organizations prepare for the games."
The statement says the provincial government is establishing a "sport excellence committee" with Sport NL and other partners, which were not identified, to advise the minister, on how to invest the fund to support Newfoundland and Labrador's athletes for the 2025 Games.
"The City of St. John's and its bid committee are assessing potential venues to determine if they meet the hosting standards as part of the bid preparation process. We are actively engaged with the city and other partners in assessing these infrastructure needs," says the statement.
"The provincial government is supportive of the city's bid for the games and through the bid process will work with the city and the federal government to ensure infrastructure needs are met."
Canada Games track and field coach Jennifer Stender is also worried.
"With regards to facilities we're way behind in St. John's," she said.
Stender says the old track and field facility in the city that was built in 1977 was turned into a parking lot. She says the nearest one, Mount Pearl's Pearlgate facility, is not up to today's standards — it lacks a warmup area and seating, and is built at an elevation that often makes it too windy.
Stender says she would like to see a track and field facility finished well ahead of the Games so athletes could train at a proper facility. She says it's possible to be ready for the Games but a lot has to be done.
"Time is ticking. We are getting closer and closer to crunch time. I think it could still be done in time but it has to be done soon," she said.
The head coach of the Pearlgate track and field club agrees.
Mark Miller says everybody knows what needs to be done; it's just a matter of doing it.
"If we really want to make it happen I think we can and I think it would make a huge difference to young people in this province and everybody, really, if we can get these facilities up," he said.
Even if work is done, not enough training time: prof
With how much work needs to be done, Kavanagh says, even if the infrastructure is ready for the Games he doesn't think the athletes will be because they won't have the needed training time in the facilities.
"If the systemic changes don't occur then it's quite likely that we'll have the same results that we've always had, which is basically finishing last or next to last across the country," he said.
Kavanagh says if the government started building facilities today and everything went perfectly, facilities could be built two years before the Games.
"The reality is our athletes should be in those facilities three to four years out. It just shows that sport is a very low priority for the province," he said.