Emotional end to Games

An emotional Anthony Everett, chair of the 2015 Canada Winter Games, is consoled by Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond and Canada Games Council chair Tom Quinn during the closing press conference for the Games Sunday morning. Bill PHILLIPS/Free Press

It was Lyn Hall who got him.

Anthony Everett went off script and admitted it was going to be hard enough for him to get through his own comments to wind up the 2015 Canada Winter Games. But when Mayor Hall singled out Everett, chairman of the Games, and CEO Stu Ballantyne for praise, it was hard for Everett to keep his emotions in check.

“I have one mission this morning, and that’s to recognize two gentlemen who made this absolutely possible,” Hall said at the closing press conference for the Games. “As we travelled this entire journey and as we took our place in what is now the Canada Games family is spectacular for Prince George … there are two gentlemen, Anthony Everett and Stu Ballantyne, and I want to give them a round of applause.”

That came after Everett offered some closing remarks of his own.

“It’s hard to put into words what this has meant to this community,” Everett said. “… It’s given it a sense of pride that hasn’t always been present.”

He added that athlete experience was the “guiding light” of the Games staff. However, he said that the Prince George Games are shaping up to be successful from a financial standpoint as well.

“We are way ahead of schedule for our budget for merchandise and ticket sales,” he said.

The BCLC Main Stage events in Canada Games Plaza were also very successful with between 3,000 and 5,000 people there every night of the Games.

And, it couldn’t be done without the 4,500 volunteers.

“I really need to commend the green jacket volunteers,” he said. “These people have worked so hard, and made us all so proud. They’ve come from across Canada to give their time. I have nothing but admiration for them, I’m humbled by what they’ve done.”