The following press release is taken verbatim from the Rugby Canada website….
The British Columbia Rugby Union, in conjunction with Rugby Canada, announced on Thursday December 2, 2004, that Burnaby will host the 2005 National Championship Festival. The third annual Festival will be held during the week of August 15 – August 21, 2005.
With the Under 18 Men’s category being contested at the Canada Summer Games, the 2005 Championships will feature five categories; Under 16 Men, Under 17 Women, Under 19 Women, Under 21 Men and Senior Women. This equates to approximately 950 participants who will have an economic impact on the City of Burnaby estimated by Tourism Vancouver at well over a half a million dollars.
“This is the third year of the National Championship Festival model and we have been fortunate to attend two excellent events in Winnipeg (2003) and Hamilton (2004),” said Jeff Sauvé, Chief Operating Officer of the British Columbia Rugby Union. “We know Burnaby will host the best event yet and their team put forth a very strong bid. Involved is a dedicated group of individuals, a strong club, a city who supports the event and a facility where we can maximize the Festival atmosphere.”
The 2005 edition of the National Championship Festival will be a collaborative effort. Along with Rugby Canada and the British Columbia Rugby Union; Burnaby Lake RFC, Twilighter RFC (who compete in the Pacific Northwest Over 40 League) and the City of Burnaby will be the host partners for the event. Matches will be played at the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex, a facility that has hosted numerous special events incorporating over 1000 athletes and volunteers.
“We are proud of our association with the Twilighters and the Burnaby Parks and Recreation Board,” said Simon Smoldon, President of Burnaby Lake RFC. “We are excited to be selected as a host club and are looking forward to welcoming rugby players from all over Canada.”
”Hosting the 2005 National Championships in Burnaby will be an outstanding event, not only from a rugby perspective, but also for the overall festival nature of our championships,” added Roger Smith, President of Rugby Canada. “Rugby Canada is extremely fortunate to have the ability to host our National Championship Festival in a setting as stunning as the Greater Vancouver area and in a world-renowned city. We owe a debt of gratitude to the City of Burnaby, the British Columbia Rugby Union and their member’s, in particular Burnaby Lake RFC and the Twilighter RFC.”
Burnaby is located at the geographical centre of the Greater Vancouver Regional District and is situated between the City of Vancouver on the west and Port Moody, Coquitlam and New Westminster on the east. The City is further bounded by Burrard Inlet and the Fraser River on the North and South respectively. Burnaby is the third most populated urban centre in British Columbia with an estimated population of 197,292.
