2011 Football Canada Cup coming to U of L

trevor.kenney — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:03:15 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Community Sports Stadium will play host to the biggest amateur football event in Canada next year when the 2011 Football Canada Cup comes to Lethbridge.

Lethbridge Sport Council made the announcement Friday afternoon.

"It will be a great opportunity for the community to showcase our new Community Sports Stadium plus our abundance of volunteers and community energy that will surround the event," says Kevin Kvame, Chair of the sports bid committee. "It is a national event that builds upon our desire to be a sports tourism destination of choice."

Football Canada Cup was created in 1992 as an under-19 national tackle football championship featuring the best high school and midget aged football players from across Canada who had not yet played at the university or junior level. The first competition was held in 1993, with the addition of the under-17 championship in 2004.

During its initial stage, the event involved a series of qualifying games across Canada to determine which four provincial teams would advance to the final four tournament. The championship now allows for every province that is a member of Football Canada to submit a provincial team at the national final.

In 2010, the event will include an under-18 championship and will be held in Wolfville, N.S. at Acadia ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. The 2010 event will see the greatest provincial representation in the history of the Football Canada Cup, including two Ontario teams and one team each from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Québec and Nova Scotia.

The July 2011 event at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge promises to showcase the area's strong football pedigree to the nation.

"Southern Alberta Zone 1 football is thriving. The teams that make up the Southern Alberta High School Football League are talented, ambitious, entertaining and have an enthusiastic and dedicated following," says Dr. Gary Bowie, Chair of Lethbridge Sport Council. "Team Alberta in 2009 had many players on their roster from Zone 1. By hosting the Canada Cup we hope to influence even more up and coming football stars."

Additional dollars to complete stadium project

trevor.kenney — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:00:50 +0000

The partnerships needed to construct the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Regional Stadium and Field Complex were on full display this past weekend when a major funding hurdle was cleared with help of the Alberta provincial government.

Minister of Culture and Community Spirit, Lindsay Blackett, was in Lethbridge to announce an additional $1.3 million investment in the facility, allowing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to complete the project to the full scope it had intended.

"Sports and recreation are important aspects of community connectedness," said Blackett to a crowd of onlookers that included members of potential user groups, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ supporters and City of Lethbridge representatives. "This new multi-use sports field complex will provide athletes and spectators alike with a gathering place to share their love of sport."

Funds will assist with the construction of the sports complex, including a new football/soccer field, track and field facilities, and a 2,000-seat grandstand. The new complex will help meet the sport and recreational needs of Lethbridge and surrounding communities.

"Lethbridge and its neighbouring communities are in need of a new sports complex," said Greg Weadick, MLA Lethbridge-West.

"Southern Alberta has a long-standing tradition of excellent local football programs and this new stadium will provide the opportunity for both players and spectators to be part of continued growth of community sports programs in a modern facility. A number of communities, organizations and individuals worked together on this important project, and I want to thank everyone for their hard work and co-operation."

"We are very pleased the Government of Alberta has chosen to invest an additional $1.3 million in this significant community project," ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Bill Cade said.

"Their financial support allows us to put the finishing touches on this facility, and to present a high-quality asset to the community. We are looking forward to hosting our first high school football game in mid-September, and also to having our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ track and field, soccer and national championship women's rugby team having an excellent place to play and call home."

The facility is slated to be open for play later this summer with the first major events being the start of the Southern Alberta High School Football League schedule. The facility's grand opening weekend is Sept. 25-26.

The provincial government has contributed a total of $3.3 million to the project (the first $2 million was presented in 2008) from its Major Community Facilities Program (MCFP). Started in 2007-08, the MCFP was a two-year $280-million lottery-funded program that helped municipalities, not-for-profit organizations and Aboriginal communities plan, upgrade or build major public-use facilities that enhance community life.

The funds were provided on a matching basis, meaning a great deal of community support was required to make the grant possible.

The Government of Alberta has a wide variety of community investment programs that create stronger and safer communities.

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2011 Football Canada Cup coming to U of L

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