Badminton PAN AM Legacy - Failure

Discussion in 'Canada East' started by MBCLLAP, Nov 23, 2014.

  1. MBCLLAP

    MBCLLAP Regular Member

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    Hello Everybody,
    I am saddened to inform you all that the Badminton PAN AM Legacy plan I presented to the Badminton Community in Markham has FAILED.

    The Markham City staff and I had been struggling to see eye to eye for the last six months to implement our Legacy Plan. It is time for me to move on. I will be tendering my resignation from badminton at our AGM November 30, 2014.
    Badminton in Markham needs to put a new leader in place, so he or she can continue to work with the City on where I left off.

    It has been very trying in the last couple of months, when I realized that the City did not share the same vision that we had put forward. The City staff did work very hard in the end to be as accommodating as possible BUT the vision is diametrically opposed, there is nothing I can do anymore.

    Councilor Don Hamilton and Colin Campbell is doing everything they can to save as much of the legacy plan as possible. They are a great supporter of Badminton. Members of the FBC Board is working with the City to salvage whatever they can to minimize the damage and hopefully minimize the amount of money we had to return to the Trillium Foundation. In 2013, we receive $214,500 from the Trillium Foundation based on our legacy plan.

    A portion of our legacy plan such as League Play and some training will be deployed at the Markham PAN AM Center BUT the majority of our legacy programs will NOT be deployed at the PAN AM center.

    The City of Markham is NOT willing to give Badminton a “Home”. This is a BIG problem for me. Soccer has a home, Hockey has a home, Bocce has a home, and Tennis has a Home. A “Home” means an office space, storage space for our equipment, meeting room as we require it. The above sport all has that. Why NOT Badminton?

    Recreational Clubs, if we want to play at the Center, it will cost us double of what we are paying now. When we run tournament at the Center, we will have to pay triple of what we rent a school gym for.This was NEVER part of the original agreement.

    I no longer trust the City Staff. If there is no trust, they are NO relationship. However, I do believe that they want to make Badminton work in the PAN AM Center BUT not with the road map I presented to them 2 years ago.

    I need to step away and find a new leader to continue to work with the City. Badminton Canada has step up to help repair the relationship. I believe FBC’s relationship with the City can be repair and move Badminton forward with them, BUT it cannot be done under my leadership.

    Personally, I felt much betrayed by the City staff to get what they wanted. When Council voted against building the Markham PAN AM gym (they wanted to build 2 pools), they call me and ask me to rally the Badminton Community, go the Media and fight for gym in the facility. Now they have what they wanted, they repay us by stating that they did not understand the Legacy Road Map.
    I had hope that we would be able to create an environment where Badminton could flourish after I take my leave in 2017 BUT I have failed. I am very sorry I fail the Badminton Community.

    If anybody who know of somebody who is willing to take over where I left off, please come forward. I will stay on for a year to help transition in the background.
    Let’s not waste a good mistake, take what we have done well in the last 3 years and what mistakes we made, correct them and move things forward.

    Live Long and Prosper,
     
  2. cobalt

    cobalt Moderator

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    Very saddened to hear of this development.

    Even more sad to hear that you have stepped down, Phillip. One can only hope the position you vacated is taken up by someone with your drive, zeal, passion and dedication.
     
  3. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Sorry to hear the bad news. It's tough to be asked for a way to make things work and move forward and then others can't follow the vision. It goes from small organisations to large organisations.
     
  4. Steve the noob

    Steve the noob Regular Member

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    You reached for the stars, and that's all anyone could ask for. Thanks for spending your time to try to make a home for Badminton here in Canada. It truly is a shame that the Legacy plan won't come into fruition, but I still have hopes that something like this will be possible.
     
  5. wning

    wning Regular Member

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    You have done more than enough for us...thanks:)
     
  6. Pho89

    Pho89 Regular Member

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    Sorry to hear that, thank you for everything you have done for our community.
     
  7. BadmntnKing

    BadmntnKing New Member

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    Your hopes and dreams for badminton have been a wonderful success. Your influence has resonated into the households of the entire badminton community. We will remember you for all that you have done. For bringing us the Markham badminton club. For organizing the Peter Gade event. For bringing Markham the Pan Am Centre and most importantly for rallying the community together to recognize badminton as a mainstream sport like all others. Your hopes and dreams are not with out vain. Your dream lives on in all of your supporters. I thank you and the badminton community thank you for all that you have done.
     
  8. Caffrey

    Caffrey Regular Member

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    Badminton in Canada everybody!
     

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