Province Funds BC2008 Community Celebrations

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
2007OTP0062-000612
May 12, 2007

Office of the Premier
Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts

VANCOUVER – The Province will provide $1 million in funding to help communities stage local BC2008 celebrations, announced Premier Gordon Campbell and Tourism, Sport and the Arts Minister Stan Hagen.“Local communities will be the foundation of BC2008 celebrations, including celebration of Aboriginal culture and heritage,” said Campbell. “History was created locally and should be celebrated locally and the funding announced today will assist local communities in the development of BC2008 activities.”

In 2008, B.C. will celebrate BC2008, the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Crown Colony of British Columbia in 1858. Every community in B.C. is invited to participate in this year-long celebration of B.C.’s cultural diversity, community strength and widespread achievement.

“From the rich ancient culture of our First Nations, to our gold rush explorers and on to our 21st-century achievers, we have a great story to tell,” said Hagen. “B.C. is the best place on Earth – we want to showcase that to people across the country and around the world.”

Over the next several months, Spirit of BC Community Committees will meet with community leaders and event hosts in their communities to develop plans for local BC2008 celebrations. These plans will support the BC2008 pillars of: heritage, communities, multiculturalism, Aboriginals, and arts and culture, and reflect the unique nature of each British Columbia community.

“B.C. has a lot of great communities with a strong sense of pride and a close connection to their heritage and history,” said Chris O’Connor, Mayor of Lytton, which hosted the first Spirit of B.C. community forum in February. “I welcome BC2008 as a chance for all B.C. communities to honour our past and celebrate living in the greatest place on Earth.”

An initiative of 2010 Legacies Now, the Spirit of BC program promotes community innovation, pride and excellence to create unique and lasting legacies for British Columbians, leading up to the 2010 Winter Games and beyond. The core of the Spirit of BC program is the network of 98 Spirit of B.C. Community Committees that represent over 200 communities across the province.

In the coming months, 2010 Legacies Now’s Spirit of BC Community Committees will facilitate planning sessions in communities across the province. Once plans have been developed, communities will submit funding applications to 2010 Legacies Now. Funding for the projects will be provided by the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts.

For a listing of upcoming BC2008/Spirit of BC planning sessions contact your local Spirit of BC community committee at www.spiritofbc.com.

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Media contact:

Mike Morton
Press Secretary
Office of the Premier
250 213-8218

Don McDonald
Communications Director
Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts
250 213-1667