The 2017 Canada Summer Games Host Society have announced a major legacy project at Fort WhyteAlive. Bison Butte Mountain Bike Course will be the first mountain bike venue to meet national standards in central Canada.
Jeff Hnatiuk, President and CEO of the 2017 Canada Summer Games reflected on the value of having access to a course within city limits.
“The Bison Butte Mountain Bike Course is a significant physical legacy of the 2017 Canada Summer Games and gives Manitoba’s high performance athletes the opportunity to work through their long-term development on a competitive course, right in their backyard. We’re thankful for the project managers, technical and construction staff as well as the many volunteers who have been working tirelessly to ensure the course was prepared for this week’s event.”
Mountain Bike is scheduled in the first week of the Games, from July 29 - August 4, 2017. Bison Butte Mountain Bike Course is a series of intricate connecting loops that offers three levels of difficulty to challenge high performance athletes and recreational cyclists alike.
“During the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, we saw the impact that the Canada Games have in fostering the development of our country’s future national team athletes,” explained The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. “They experience tough competition in world-class venues that prepares them for future national and international events. The Bison Butte Mountain Bike Course will be a fantastic training competition next year and will leave a legacy for Canada’s top young athletes for many years to come. On behalf of all Canadians, I commend the work of the 2017 Canada Summer Games Host Society and the Manitoba Cycling Association in providing young cyclists with a place to push their limits and nurture their love of sport.”
“We look forward to seeing our athletes compete at this top notch track, but also train on it for years to come,” said Manitoba Sport, Culture and Heritage Minister Rochelle Squires. “Our support for the games will help ensure enhanced facilities and improved training opportunities for years to come.”
Mountain Bike is set to be one of the most exciting spectator sports during the Games. Following the event, the Manitoba Cycling Association will have an increased capacity to host elite competitions and develop all levels of mountain bike athletes in Manitoba. The course is not yet open to the public.
“The Bison Butte Mountain Bike Course is sure to bring some exhilarating action to the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg,” said Mayor Brian Bowman. “It’s fantastic that this Course will provide many years of opportunity for our home grown athletes to hone their skills on a world class course.”
“The addition of this venue to our list of competition sites helps us deliver on our promise to invest in the future of sport in Winnipeg and in Manitoba,” said Hubert Mesman, Co-Chair of the 2017 Canada Summer Games Host Society. “We’re very proud of this project and the lasting legacy this brand new course will leave for our community.”
About the 2017 Canada Summer Games: Winnipeg, Manitoba will host the Canada Summer Games July 28 – August 13, 2017. Featuring 16 sports, over 250 events and a major cultural festival, the 2017 Canada Games will welcome over 4,000 athletes and coaches and more than 20,000 visitors. Celebrating the Games’ 50th anniversary and Canada’s 150th birthday, the Canada Games are this country’s largest multi-sport event for young athletes. They will leave a lasting legacy of new and enhanced sport facilities, volunteer and leadership development that will benefit athletes and the broader community for years to come.
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