Portage la Prairie Sports Facilities, Groups Get First Flush of Games Funding

The Host Society of the Power Smart 2010 Manitoba Winter Games is following through on a commitment to provide $160,000 in sports equipment and facility upgrades for the Portage la Prairie area. These upgrades will be completed before the Games are held in Portage from March 7-13, 2010.

Cheques are in the mail for three organizations totalling $17,517.53, which represents 50% of the total $35,035.36 investment made in sport facility upgrades to this point.

“It’s great. It allows us to develop our facility and to promote sport within our community. It promotes community pride, that’s probably the biggest thing,” says Host Society Co-Chairman Jim Malenchak.

“These games are going to be a special thing for the community. An opportunity to showcase our city, our facilities, but mostly to showcase the people involved in the Games, our volunteers”, added Malanchak. “It’s an investment in future sport in our area because of the equipment that we didn’t have before. There will be better facilities for things such as badminton and gymnastics and so on.”

Facility development partners are:

• Portage Curling Club: $4,060.82 for a reverse osmosis water purification system.
• Portage Gymnastics Club: $7,500 for equipment purchases including vault board, balance beam, floor mats.
• Portage la Prairie School Division: $5,956.71 for fitness equipment including treadmills, elliptical trainers and exercise bicycles