Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Bruce Langford

The following letter was received from Bruce Langford, Head Coach of the Simon Fraser University Women's Basketball Team:


2/20/2007

To City Council and Trustees of School District #67:

As the coach of Simon Fraser University, I want to make you aware of the importance of a valuable building in your community. One that for many reasons should be kept.

Trying to get funding for gyms is extremely difficult. As you know, they are expensive to build yet alone to acquire land for. Tearing down facilities that are off quality makes very little sense in the big picture. A better endeavour would be to recognize all the uses that a gym could be put and helping to find ways to facilitate them, The future of amateur sport is more and more moving to a club system where but use of public gums will increase greatly. Just look at the level of club volleyball and basketball in Ontario. They have both surpassed the school systems programs. Having a venue in your community is very valuable.

I have had the good fortune of working camps in Penticton for several years. The Pen High gym has been a key component of those camps. It is a quality facility with excellent ventilation, which is a key in the summer, and great site lines for people to observe games. Opening to the grass is so Penticton, a beautiful treed setting for a fitness centre.

How much farther ahead would be a community that could mix the new facility with the old one. The benefits are obvious. Programs that are unable to get gym time in the school system could jump at the opportunity and build lasting health, athletic and social benefits to your community.

Yours sincerely,

Bruce Langford
SFU Women’s BB Coach
Tel: 604/291-5394
Fax: 604/291.3425
E-mail: langford@sfu.ca

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