The 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver appear to have accomplished what no prime minister or political accord has ever been able to do – unite Canadians and inspire national pride in our country’s accomplishments.
Over the past two weeks, Canadians from east to west tuned in in record numbers to watch our athletes’ accomplishments.
And what accomplishments they’ve been. Canada made history by winning the most gold medals ever – 14 in total – during the games. Sunday’s men’s hockey finale, where Canada beat the U.S. in what is sure to be remembered as a historic gold medal moment, was the icing on the cake.
The game – and all that preceded it over the course of the Olympics – has shown us that despite our reputation for being humbly reserved, Canadians at their core love their county and aren’t afraid to show it.
The games are a further reminder of what hosting a high-profile event can do for a community. With the right participation and support, such events can not only create buzz and stimulate the economy in the short term, they can make history.
This is a great thing to keep in mind as Muskoka prepares to host the Ontario Winter Games this weekend.
Though hardly Olympic in scope, the games will bring thousands of young athletes, coaches and spectators to the district to celebrate the best and most talented of Ontario’s athletes. They will inspire us and hopefully create similar opportunities for this region in the future.
Organizers have invested an incredible amount of energy into bringing these games here. Now it’s up to all of us to lend support and make this a complete success.
Welcome our guests, be a spectator, and at the very least have a little patience with the increased traffic and security checks. Let’s show the rest of Ontario that Muskoka is a world-class destination — summer and winter. In our never-ending effort to market Muskoka as a year-round destination, we all can play a part.
JL