Torch puts St Ives Olympic dinner on backburner

PLANS for an Olympic ‘Celebration of Sport’ dinner in St Ives have been shelved following the announcement that the Olympic torch will pass through the town next year.

Councillors were last week asked to consider allocating �5,000 to a black-tie gala dinner to celebrate sports clubs and groups in the St Ives area.

But they decided the money could be better spent elsewhere, and are looking at ways the town can make the most of the torch’s visit on July 8 next year.

Councillor Martin Collier, the town mayor, said: “It was an interesting idea that was thrown up to see what we made of it.

“But things have been overtaken by the news of the torch coming to the town. “Secondly, although it is nice to have a dinner, the council felt that for the money involved we could do something more substantial and long-term.”

Cllr Collier said the council was looking at budgets for next year to see how the torch’s arrival in St Ives would be marked.

“It’s still very early in the process, but the council will do something to mark the Olympics. We want to support the torch’s visit.”

The gala dinner had been pencilled in for the Burgess Hall on September 14, just five days after the Paralympics closing ceremony, and clubs from in and around St Ives would have been invited.

The dinner was intended as a showcase for the sporting success stories of the town, with space for groups to publicise their club’s achievements, and proceeds from the evening being re-distributed to sports groups and clubs.

N ST IVES Town Council has pledged �5,000 to pay for a mobile youth activity bus to visit the town.

The Connections Bus has proved popular in South Cambridgeshire, and would offer computer, gaming and sports facilities for young people in St Ives, with the Hill Rise Park and Burleigh Hill areas suggested as locations.

The issue was raised after two youth clubs formerly held at Broad Leas closed, with the reduced county council funding focused on young people considered to be at risk.