Sports ambassador policy passed by Council
By Timothy Schafer
The city will have a new ambassador to carry the message that is Nelson to the world outside the Heritage City.
City council has voted to establish a sports ambassador policy to represent, support and promote Nelson’s active culture in and outside of the community in the form of the selection of an annual sports ambassador.
In addition, city council approved a recommendation for a jury for the selection of the inaugural sports ambassador. The position will include a $1,000 honorarium for 2020.
The whole idea of a sports ambassador arose out of a letter from Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism (NKLT), the Nelson Regional Sports Council (NRSC), the Nelson Athletic Association (NAA) and Bill McDonnell requesting that the city consider “acknowledging a sport-related ambassador, as part of the existing cultural ambassador program.”
A short-term working group was created to help draw up the policy, including representation from NKLT, NRSC, NAA and Whitewater Ski Resort.
Make-up of a jury
The selection of the jury for the selection of the 2020 sports ambassador will be compiled largely from the working group with one representative from:
- one member from NKLT;
- one member from NRSC;
- one member from NAA;
- one member from a sports and outdoors Nelson area business; and
- city councillors Cal Renwick and Keith Page.
“Staff and the working group believe that this is a logical selection of the jury for the first iteration of the sports ambassador program given the short time frame (selection to be completed by December 2019) and that members from these groups have already spent time discussing how the policy should be implemented,” read a city staff report to council.
A scoring matrix will be used to provide transparency in the selection process.
Eligibility of applicants
The short-term working group also considered various issues regarding eligibility of applicants including:
- whether applicants must be currently active in their sport/activity;
- whether applicants must be full-time Nelson area residents;
- age limitations;
- range of eligible sports/activities; and
- eligibility of groups and teams versus individuals.
The working group felt that the jury would be in the best position to make any decisions on whether a certain activity would be eligible if such issues arise.
— Source: City of Nelson
