This summer will mark the third time that Maple Ridge has hosted the BC Summer Games.
The Games, which are coming here July 17-21, were first held in 1978. Premier W.R. Bennett had a vision to "bring all parts of BC together, large and small communities, in the spirit of sport and friendship.”
The BC Summer and Winter Games Society was created by the B.C. government in 1977 with a mandate to provide an opportunity for British Columbians to compete in an organized sports festival that promoted physical fitness, individual achievement, and community pride.
The Games were still young when Maple Ridge hosted for the first time, in 1983, then they were hosted between Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows in 1998. This summer, Maple Ridge will become one of the few cities to host three times, out of the 33 Summer Games that have been held.
There are people in the community who were involved in all three Games, including the local Games vice-president Ernie Daykin. He is certainly motivated by community pride that was part of that original mandate.
Daykin is best known locally as a former mayor, who served 12 years on city council, including six in the top job.
But before he was running the city, he was helping to run the BC Games as a volunteer at both of the Games in Maple Ridge. He was doing yeoman's work.
"I got up bright and early and delivered sandwiches and water bottles to the different sites," he recalled.
Daykin said he remembers Larry Walker Sr. – father of the baseball hall of famer Larry Walker Jr., and a great player in his own right – carrying the Games torch.
And he recalled the sense of community hosting the event fosters in those who get involved.
"It brings us all together – one of the legacies of the Games is the relationships," said Daykin.
When Maple Ridge won the bid to host the Games in 2020, he was tapped to be chair of the awards committee. But then the world was struck by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was one of the many events that were cancelled.
"We did a bunch of work, but never quite got there," said Daykin. "We had no options."
Then the city was declared host for 2024, and new president Laura Butler came to the former mayor to be her right hand man. He accepted the job of vice-president. Daykin has been an active recruiter of volunteers, and said it's about paying back those who volunteered for him. Daykin played football and baseball in his youth.
"I don't know who cut the grass or lined the field, but someone did all of those things so we could play, and I've got great memories of those days."
Volunteers are the key. There have been 155,000 volunteers since the Games started, and more than 110,000 athletes.
In 1994 the mandate for the Games made it a key art of developing athletes and sport in the province. There have been some big names at the Games, including NHL star goaltender Cary Price, and former Toronto Blue Jays baseball player Brett Lawrie.
And Maple Ridge produced its own big star from the Games. Karina LeBlanc attended the Games in 1993 and 10994, and went on to play goal for the national womens soccer team in four FIFA Women’s World Cups and two Olympic Games in 2008 and 2012, winning a bronze medal in 2012.
Daykin said the organizers want to inspire future sports stars, and make memories.
"We'll make Maple Ridge shine, and bring some spirit and positivity," he predicted. "I think there's going to be a great buzz."
