Sport Tourism: Stephen Fischer at TEDxStCatharines

Summary

The speaker discusses the transformation of Welland, a city that once thrived on industry but faced decline. They highlight the city's reinvention through the development of the recreational waterway, leveraging its unique asset to attract sports tourism and diversify the economy. The initiative has led to significant growth in events and visitors, contributing to the city's economic resurgence and community legacy.

Takeaways

• 🌆 The city of Welland was once a thriving industrial hub with a high ranking in national income, but it faced economic decline when its industries began to leave.
• 📉 After peaking in 1971, Welland's population and economic vitality started to decline due to changes in the global economy and the departure of its industrial base.
• 🔄 The city had to reinvent itself, and one of the key strategies was leveraging its recreational waterway as a new economic driver.
• 💧 The 12-kilometer stretch of water left behind by the shipping bypass in 1973 became the centerpiece of Welland's rebranding efforts.
• 📈 Welland's Canal Corporation was established to manage the waterway and has since focused on sport tourism as a way to boost the local economy.
• 🏆 The city has hosted numerous sporting events, attracting thousands of visitors and generating significant economic impact.
• 🌐 Welland's strategy involved inviting sports organizations to experience the city's unique waterway and potential for hosting international events.
• 🚀 The city's efforts have led to a rapid increase in the number of events hosted, from 8 in 2006 to over 30 in 2011.
• 🎓 Welland is working closely with educational institutions to provide living labs for students to gain experience in the field of sport tourism.
• 🏛️ The city is investing in infrastructure, such as a new $10 million facility, to support ongoing community programming and events.
• 💼 Sport tourism in Welland has created a diverse range of jobs, from entry-level to highly specialized positions, contributing to the local economy.

Q & A

What was Welland's economic status during its peak years?

During its peak years, Welland was a bustling, thriving municipality with a high national ranking in median income and a population that doubled and grew repeatedly until it peaked at approximately 45,000 people in 1971.

What caused the economic decline of Welland?

Welland's economic decline was caused by the closure and relocation of many of its industrial base factories, such as Welland Tubes, John Deere, Atlas Steels, and the cotton mills, leading to a loss of jobs and economic vitality.

What was the significant change in Welland's waterways in 1973?

In 1973, the shipping canal was bypassed to the east, leaving a 12-kilometer stretch of water in Welland that the city decided to use for recreation and sport tourism.

What is the Welland International Flat Water Centre, and how did it start?

The Welland International Flat Water Centre is a venue for flat water sports and sport tourism. It started with the formation of the Canal Corporation in 2001 and a vision to utilize Welland's waterway for sport tourism, beginning with powerboats and expanding to multiple sports.

What impact did sport tourism have on Welland by 2011?

By 2011, Welland hosted over 30 events at the Welland International Flat Water Centre, attracting 20,000 visitors over 60 days, significantly contributing to the local economy.

What is the definition of sport tourism?

Sport tourism is defined as travel to participate in, officiate, coach, spectate, or support sports activities, impacting the economy through expenses related to travel, accommodation, food, and other services.

What are the economic benefits of sport tourism in Welland?

Sport tourism in Welland has led to job creation, increased spending in the local economy, and the attraction of visitors, who spend money on accommodations, food, and recreational activities, providing an economic boost to the region.

How does Welland's water quality compare to other venues?

Welland's water is exceptionally clean, even cleaner than a public pool, and serves as the source of the municipal drinking water.

What role do educational institutions play in Welland's sport tourism?

Niagara College and Brock University collaborate with Welland, using the city's venues as living labs for students to gain experience, and contributing to the local workforce by employing graduates.

What future developments are planned for the Welland International Flat Water Centre?

Future developments include the construction of a ten million dollar facility to enhance the venue, drive sport tourism, and continue contributing to Welland's economy as part of the city's strategic plan.

What is the expected economic impact of upcoming events at the Welland International Flat Water Centre?

Over the next three years, upcoming events at the Welland International Flat Water Centre are expected to generate over 48 million dollars in economic impact for the Niagara region and the city of Welland.

Outlines

00:00

🏙️ Welland's Transformation and Waterway Revitalization

The speaker discusses the historical evolution of Welland, a city that thrived during its industrial peak in 1971 with a population of 45,000. The city's decline was attributed to the global economy shift and the loss of its industrial base, including factories and mills. Despite the setbacks, the city is working towards a renaissance by leveraging its unique asset—a 12-kilometer stretch of pristine waterway left behind by the shipping canal bypass. The speaker represents the Canal Corporation, which aims to rebrand and reinvent Welland by focusing on the recreational potential of the waterway, moving away from reliance on a single industry and towards a diversified economy.

05:01

🚣‍♂️ Embracing Sport Tourism for Economic Growth

The speaker highlights the strategic move towards sport tourism as a means to diversify and boost Welland's economy. The city's waterway, recognized as Canada's premier flat water venue, is positioned to attract multiple sports rather than focusing on a single one. The speaker emphasizes the importance of avoiding past mistakes of over-reliance on a single industry. The Canal Corporation proactively engaged with various sports organizations to host events, showcasing the waterway's potential and the region's allure, including proximity to Niagara Falls. The impact of sport tourism is underscored by the significant increase in events and visitors, contributing to local economic activity and positioning Welland as a significant player in the global sport tourism industry.

10:01

🏆 Sport Tourism as a Catalyst for Community and Economic Development

The speaker delves into the specifics of sport tourism's impact on Welland, illustrating how it has become an integral part of the city's economic strategy. With the establishment of the Welland International Flatwater Center, the city has seen a surge in hosting events, attracting thousands of visitors and generating substantial economic activity. The speaker also discusses the importance of leaving a community legacy through these initiatives, partnering with educational institutions and local organizations to create a sustainable impact. The speaker passionately argues for the recognition of sport tourism's role in job creation, economic stability, and the enrichment of the community's quality of life.

15:03

🏡 Building a Lasting Legacy Through Sport Tourism

In the final paragraph, the speaker outlines the long-term vision for Welland's sport tourism, emphasizing its role in the city's strategic plans and its contribution to the community's legacy. The speaker mentions the construction of a new, multi-million dollar facility, which will further solidify Welland's position as a hub for flatwater sports. The speaker also highlights the significant economic impact of upcoming events, projected to bring millions of dollars to the region. The paragraph concludes with a call to action, encouraging support for sport tourism and its potential to positively transform Welland into a city of the future.

Keywords

💡Cities 2.0

Cities 2.0 refers to the evolution of urban areas into more advanced, sustainable, and technologically integrated environments. In the video, it is used to describe the transformation of the city of Welland, focusing on revitalizing its economy and identity through innovative urban development. The script mentions 'Cities 2.0' as the overarching theme for the discussion on how Welland is adapting to change and embracing new opportunities.

💡Recreational Waterway

A recreational waterway is a body of water used for leisure activities such as boating, fishing, or water sports. In the context of the video, the speaker represents this aspect of Welland's redevelopment, emphasizing the city's efforts to utilize its unique waterway as a central piece in its urban revitalization strategy. The waterway is highlighted as a key asset for attracting tourism and economic growth.

💡Welland

Welland is a city in Ontario, Canada, which serves as the primary subject of the video. Historically an industrial hub, the city is now undergoing a transformation, as discussed in the script. The term 'Welland' is used to refer to both the city's past as a thriving industrial center and its future as a modern, revitalized urban area.

💡Economic Impact

Economic impact refers to the effects that events, developments, or policies have on the economy of a region. In the script, the speaker discusses the potential of sport tourism to generate significant economic benefits for Welland and the surrounding region, including job creation and increased spending by visitors.

💡Sport Tourism

Sport tourism is a form of tourism where individuals travel to participate in or watch sports events. The video emphasizes the role of sport tourism in revitalizing Welland's economy by attracting visitors for various sporting events. The speaker mentions the city's efforts to host multiple sports events, aiming to diversify its economic base and create a sustainable source of tourism.

💡Diversification

Diversification in an economic context means expanding into different areas or industries to reduce reliance on a single sector. The script discusses Welland's need to diversify its economy away from its historical dependence on heavy industry. The city is now focusing on sport tourism and the recreational waterway as new areas for growth and investment.

💡Industrial Decline

Industrial decline refers to the reduction in the importance or productivity of industrial sectors within an economy. The speaker in the video describes how Welland experienced a decline in its traditional industries, leading to a need for economic restructuring and the exploration of new opportunities such as sport tourism.

💡Community Legacy

Community legacy refers to the long-term benefits or changes that are left behind for a community after an event or project. In the script, the speaker talks about the importance of leaving a community legacy through the hosting of sports events and the development of the waterway, including the creation of new facilities and programs that benefit local residents.

💡Welland International Flatwater Center

The Welland International Flatwater Center is a facility and concept mentioned in the script as part of the city's strategy to attract and host international flatwater sports events. It represents a significant investment in sport tourism and is intended to become a centerpiece for the city's rebranding and economic revitalization efforts.

💡Economic Factor

An economic factor is an element that contributes to the economic growth or development of a region. In the context of the video, the speaker discusses how the city of Welland aims to become a significant economic factor by leveraging its recreational waterway and focusing on sport tourism as a means to attract visitors, create jobs, and generate revenue.

💡Global Economy

The global economy encompasses all economic activities that are influenced by international trade, investment, and other cross-border economic exchanges. The script mentions the changing global economy as a factor that has affected Welland's traditional industries and necessitated the city's adaptation and exploration of new economic opportunities.

Highlights

Welland's historical significance as a thriving industrial city with high rankings in meeting income.

The decline of Welland's industry and the need for economic diversification.

The creation of the Canal Corporation to rebrand and reinvent Welland using its recreational waterway.

Welland's waterway as a unique national asset for sport tourism.

The strategic approach to sport tourism involving multiple sports and leveraging the waterway.

Hosting over 30 events in 2011, attracting 20,000 visitors and boosting the local economy.

Sport tourism as a stable and diverse economic sector with significant job creation potential.

The establishment of the Welland International Flatwater Center to host international sporting events.

Partnerships with educational institutions for training and experience in sport tourism.

The community legacy created through sport tourism and its integration into city planning.

The economic impact of hosting world championships, with an estimated 48 million dollars for the region.

Welland's transition from a single-industry city to a multifaceted economy through sport tourism.

The importance of recognizing and utilizing local assets to drive economic growth.

The role of sport tourism in enhancing the quality of life and creating jobs in Welland.

The vision of Welland as a future city (Cities 2.0) with a focus on sustainable economic development.

The significance of the waterway in Welland's history and its current role in economic revitalization.

The need for community belief and support in leveraging the city's assets for economic growth.

Transcripts

morning everyone yes here to talk about

Cities 2.0 in the city of Welland and

the important puzzle piece that I

represent which is the recreational

waterway get our technology working a

little quick background on before I go

to cities 2.0 we have to talk about what

Welland was in William Ross this morning

with the horse-drawn carriage talks

about that period that started a long

time ago but for Welland

we were bustling well and is an

incredible community and through its

heyday at one point Welland ranked

highest in the nation or across a nation

one of the highest rankings in meeting

income wellin was a bustling thriving

municipality filled with people with

energy vitality the way forward was

there they were living in population

doubling growing repeatedly until it

peaked in 1971 at 45,000 people

approximately industry paid Jersey well

and tubes John Deere Atlas Steel's Henin

jiz the cotton mills well Bosso factory

after factory all industrial base all

single minded produce output and then it

began to slip away now what do you do

when it begins to slip away the global

economy is changing the needs of the

world are changing what do you do we've

gone to moved out we've gone to torn

down we've gone to shut down

Welland has has suffered its share of

losses there's no devil we are that city

1.0 that Russ town and although there

was many as industries there's no

question about it

thriving thriving municipality there are

many industries were no different than

the coal mining town when the coal mine

shuts down the city dies we're no

different than the lumber mill the

sawmill town the single industry we had

many but when they all leave many leave

I don't want to create such a bleak

picture there's great things happening

in Wellman but this is the story that

you continue to have to hear in the news

and then we've had to live with

and it rips at your heart it rips at the

pride that you feel in your community

and it's hard to move forward but we had

to the city of old had to find a new way

and I'm here to talk about that it's

interesting I was reminded that the

city's logo for the corporation of the

city of Welland is where rails and water

meet an interesting thing happened in

1973 they moved the water you see in the

picture here on the right-hand side to

the east is the bypass to the shipping

canal an important part of our our

history William Hamilton merit building

the canal and delivering all of that to

Welland but in 1972 because of changes

and volumes that were required in the

shipping canal the shipping bypass was

built bypassing the city of Welland and

leaving in its wake a 12 kilometer

stretch of the most beautiful water we

have between the Great Lakes that twelve

kilometer stretch is what we're using to

try to reinvent our city rebrand our

city not necessarily reinvent it because

we are still a good great city we just

need to look at our assets and use them

so that we can be better so that we can

be an economic factor we can provide

jobs and quality of life from 1973 when

they closed open up the new bypass and

closed the waterway twenty-five years

past we've heard a lot of people talk

today about reports and studies and

government and bureaucracy try 25 years

of it 25 years of report that sit in our

boardroom and I've turned the labels

backwards so that we never look at them

again we've taken all the ideas about

out of them don't get me wrong there's

great stuff in there there great work of

many volunteers and boards and agencies

in 1997 the city of Welland was

successful in being deeded the lands

that are the waterways who came into the

city's control in 1997 so that's a 25

year journey in 1998-99 2000 still some

more talking but in 2001 they formed the

Canal Corporation which is the

corporation that I represent and City

Council gave them an agenda it took them

a few years but in 2005 they turned the

corner

the power boats and recreational use the

vision of what we're going to do with

the canal started and yes we started

with a plan not a report don't get me

wrong it's not another report this is

the one that's facing outwards on the

shelf but we started to plan what we're

going to do with waterway talk to the

community talk to business people what

do we want to do with it and part of it

was of the waterway was sport tourism

and and using it as a flat water sports

venue and recognizing what what could be

done with it

the previous council in 2005 had

supported the idea that we could use

this venue as a sport course and they've

identified Dragon Boat and one of the

things we talked about we go back to the

coal mining town in the lumber mill and

the industry that was in Welland

is it a lack of diversification and when

I was brought on board it's one of the

first things that I recognized that in

using this incredible national asset

because there isn't another body of

water like it in Canada this is the

premier flat water venue destination in

our country it's the fairest water it's

the cleanest water it is cleaner than a

public pool you can drink it it's the

source of our municipal drinking water

so to do all of to build that for just

one sport doesn't make sense so let's

not fall into the same errors that we've

done in the past so we identified

multiple sports eight of them in total

take a business approach to it let's go

after sport tourism it's a six hundred

billion dollar industry globally let's

go after it how do we go after it well

we invited every regional provincial

national and international sport

organization to come to Welland and they

quickly said on the phone where we had

our challenges

I said Wehling we're in the heart of

Niagara come on down come have dinner

with us and they did we put them up in

an airplane and they all said you want

to do what said we're gonna put you up

in an airplane six seater flew out of

the International Welland Airport

we put them up in the air and we flew

them over the waterway and they went wow

we're all on the careful we could hear

each other they said now turn to your

right

and they saw Niagara Falls and they said

wow so now look out to your left and

they saw st. Catherine's and beams of

Hill and Vineland and the wineries in

the escarpment and they said wow we had

to prove to people and ourselves that

well and our city is in a world-class

region and we in the region itself in

our city and our venue is part of a

world-class destination we have so much

to offer and we need to work together to

deliver it we landed the airplanes we

had dinner they went home and the phone

started ringing okay we want to host we

had effectively put a banner up we

called it the Welland International flat

water center and boldly it didn't exist

so now what granted in 2006 and people

had been using it for rowing and for

some canoe events and so the ideas

aren't necessarily new was what we were

doing to promote it that was new in 2006

there were eight events hosted in

Welland at on the water but now was a

flat water centre 2011 we hosted over 30

events in that four short years 30

events 20,000 visitors that's what we've

grown to become and that's what sport

tourism is all about those are the

numbers that we needed and I liken it

because when we talk about economic

impact and we're gonna define sport

tourism in a second 20,000 visitors over

60 days migrating moving to our

community staying overnight eating

drinking going to the movie spending

more money and exploring our region more

than we do our ourselves how many people

here haven't been to the walk behind the

falls how many people in this room

haven't been on the rail care ride who

hasn't been to Henry Pelham winery who

hasn't been to Shakespeare in the Park

in the vineyard when tourists travel

they do all those things

they affect the jobs they have an

economic impact so if we had 20,000

visitors over 60 days we'll do some math

you divide on this side multiply on that

side that's 5,000 visitors over 240 days

well a college semester is 240 days so

we're the equivalent and it's simple

math I get it so don't take it too far

but we're the equivalent of a college

why wouldn't you support a college no

one would ever say let's not support the

college in our town so we're a 5,000

person college in our town even

downgraded say we're just a 3,000 person

call it the incredible things that we're

doing so sport tourism defined quite

simply everyone in this room I can

almost guarantee you is had done

something involved in sport tourism any

sport cricket lacrosse baseball golf

rugby canoe kayak dragon boat rowing

open water swimming triathlon the moment

you get in your car and off your coach

to do something you're impacting the

economy by definition you have to travel

40 kilometres you don't have to travel

40 kilometres just to compete though you

can travel 40 kilometres to go to a

clinic to train you could be an athlete

an official a coach you could be a

spectator you can be a fan a father or

mother anything that you do that's

related to sport that's why it's a six

hundred billion dollar industry

worldwide globally locally or nationally

it's a three point six billion dollar

industry it is the fastest growing

grassroots economic development that we

have in Canada one of the best things

about sport tourism that I have found in

my in my years of that's five years now

of working with it is that we talked

about the economic recessions and the

downturns and tourism and we see all

that's happening but if common fact

remains people trained to compete so

they have to they don't care whether the

competitions in st. Catharines in

Bangladesh and the Philippines wherever

it is they train to compete yes at the

world level they're traveling all over

the world but even here locally whether

it's in London or the basketball

championships are in Kitchener we train

our kids go out they practice to

compete so that volatility that we've

seen in the tourism sector the sport

tourism side of it's a little bit less

volatile and it's absolutely incredibly

diverse this picture is from Isaiah get

hungry the senior World Championships

for canoe sprint and I show it it's a

non water shot and I show it on purpose

because people don't realize that sport

tourism and event hosting especially at

this magnitude affects so many people so

many jobs there's media broadcast

there's event management there's

equipment rentals there's manufacturing

there's engineers involved in putting

this all together every spectrum and

factory jobs are incredible people

produce incredible things they make a

good fair wage sport tourism they think

that you make $12 an hour or 1025 or

just minimum wage it's not the truth

it's not the truth sport tourism a lot

of words up there a lot of different

jobs a lot of different professions and

yes there's $10 an hour jobs but yes

there's $70 an hour jobs graphic design

facilities equipment food service

medical and doping athlete services and

yes tourism that other part because when

you go I coined the phrase I call it the

sport occasion because at the last

recession was called the staycation how

about the sport keishon I know I've had

the pleasure of traveling to London

England the Henley on the Thames with my

daughter she was fortunate to race the

women's English Henley what an

incredible moment but I know that when I

was making the trip to the to London to

England I knew I was gonna see London

it's a sport occasion so why aren't we

working together as a region and that's

the key and that's what we're starting

to do and that's what's happening and

that's why positive things are happening

people travel to compete they want to

leave incredible things we have national

athletes we have a national asset here

in Welland and that's what we've tapped

into and it's an incredible economic

impact and one of the things we've had

to do is teach people to believe in what

we're

we work closely now with Niagara College

Brock University because every one of

these programs is happening at our

educational institution and we're

working together because we're one of

the largest living labs for people to

get experience so they can take it

abroad or work right here we have people

that we now employ in our office that

went to school elsewhere and are coming

back to wellin to work it's fantastic

we had to believe and get people to

recognize in our community that we have

that national asset every single

Olympian that competes in one of the

sports that I've identified comes to

Wellman

that's a proud moment every single Maple

Leaf that is worn at the Olympics just

recently and flat water sports are the

most winningest sports in Canadian

history in Summer Olympics they come

through Welland

that's fantastic the atom Vancouver

dance the Marnie McGinnes the mark

holder shots the mark DeYoung's they're

in our hometown we have incredible

partnerships these are some of the

recreational ones so many organizations

that we can touch because we diversified

we took our competitive advantage which

was the waterway our unique selling

property and we're doing everything we

can to leverage it to make a difference

in our city some of the highlights that

sport delivers and we've touched on them

I'll go quickly over this slide one of

the underlying objectives of what we're

trying to do is because you can't just

do all of this and leverage what you're

doing and acid the municipality behind

it if you're not leaving community

legacy and I'm proud to say that I'm

partner with a bag of Community

Foundation's and we have a flat water

fund and please go right now and donate

to it or volunteer to it we've been able

to year over year now because of the

events that we are hosting build the

legacy that we had always planned to

it's because of the World Championships

in the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games

that we've just broken ground on a ten

million dollar facility in Welland to

build that thing that in 2006 we said

we're here we are here we are here were

30 events a year but we're delivering 25

to 30 thousand dollars

community programming back to our

community programs that's a Big Brothers

Big Sisters dead kids out on the water

giving it a try

they've never been in the water before

because those Olympians that are wearing

the flags in their chest the mark holder

shot they could be sitting right beside

you right now

if you grew up in Banff Alberta you

learn to ski if you grow up in Niagara

you should be learning a flat water

sport we have the greatest venue in the

nation we are now part of the city

strategic plan part of the parks and

recreation master plan and the city's

economic plan recognizing that we are

now a cornerstone of the future economy

of the city 2.0 that's some architects

rendering of the new buildings of an

athelete Center community legacy portion

that will drive sport tourism and the

economy and well in four years to come

the Henley is 130 years old how tough to

compete with the hit the history but I

know that 130 years I won't be here some

marvel of Medicine yet to be invented

but 130 years from now there will be an

event at the Welland International

flatwater Center it is part of city's

2.0 over the next three years alone with

the world championships that we're

hosting and Dragon Boat canoe and

swimming over 48 million dollars in

economic impact and that's just from

envy events that's not from operations

it's nothing else 48 million dollars in

events for the Niagara region and the

city of Welland and I'm so absolutely

proud to be a part of it I thank you and

I hope that all of you will be at uh

affected positively by sport tourism and

cities 2.0 here we go

you