By Dan Plouffe
The Ottawa Sport Council, a new group dedicated to representing local sport, will be hosting a debut event of sorts on Nov. 23 at Algonquin College.
The OSC is sponsoring the registration cost for community clubs to take part in a Club Excellence workshop, a program developed by numerous national sports organizations under the guidance of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.
The day-long workshop focuses on program delivery, coaching, people management, governance, financial accountability, marketing, recruitment and revenue generation.
“We thought we could understand how we can help them more when they identify key areas that might (become evident from) the club excellence workshop,” explains OSC executive director Marci Morris. “We want to help clubs, and especially the volunteers within those clubs, to be able to run their clubs more effectively.”
The OSC carries a wide-ranging role, but a prime purpose is to unite the local sports community and act as an umbrella organization to represent all groups.
“There seems to be no shortage in the ways we can help,” Morris signals, noting feedback and ideas are of high value. “Our biggest challenge right now is we just need to spread the message more.”
A major project for the OSC will be to develop a municipal sports strategy for the City of Ottawa, which would include elements such as facility development and usage, making sport accessible to all, partnerships, volunteers and recognition, and sport tourism. Parks and recreation general manager Dan Chenier is chair of the steering committee. A major function of the OSC will be to act as the local sports community’s voice at city hall.
“As opposed to having a million disparate voices out there, it’s allowing the City to work with one voice that’s presenting a consolidated view,” details Morris, a former executive director for the Ottawa-Carleton Ultimate Association. “One of the things we’re stressing is our role isn’t just to talk, our role is hugely to listen because the listening has to come before the talking.”
Another OSC project is to establish a database on their web site of all local sports organizations, as well as related provincial and national associations.
“It’ll be a one-stop-shop for sport organizations,” Morris describes. “Where is it, who do I call, what do they offer?”
Boosted by a Trillium Foundation grant to help start up, the non-profit organization is still young, but is now up and running, with an impressive board of directors carrying a wide range of expertise and involvement in sport and business. The group had laid its groundwork and identified its guiding principles.
“Everything that we’re doing is striving to create a positive experience in sport,” Morris highlights. “The message is we’re here and we’re starting to roll out our deliverables, and there will be many more over the years to come.”