The community will end up with a legacy of about $10,000 from hosting the BC Seniors Games.
But not before having to borrow money from Langley Township and City.
In July games organizers approached the City and received $15,000 and another $60,000 from the Township.
“The games were not an easy thing to pull off financially,†said Michael Jackstein, vice president of the local Seniors Games Society.
With the loans, the organizers were able to meet their financial commitments and pull off the games.
The games ended up costing almost $700,000. About 28 per cent came from the provincial government, another 22 per cent from the almost 4,000 games participants through their fees.
“The community came through with virtually half of the money we raised,†he said.
He said organizing the seniors games were more difficult than other big sporting events, in part because of donor fatigue after hosting the 2010 BC Games for young people and the Special Olympics games after that.
In addition to the $10,000 legacy to this community, there was a financial impact.
The games injected approximately $2 million in business activity in the area, Jackstein said.
“I know we will remember it for a long time,†said City Councillor Teri James.
Coun. Dave Hall wondered when the community should consider hosting events in the future.
Jackstein suggested revisiting the issue in about three years since putting in bids would take a couple of years to work through the process. By then, residents would be ready for the challenge, he said.