Lanarkshire 2011 International Children's Games

Preparing for 2011

The bid

On Thursday 10 July 2008 at the International Children's Games Committee meeting in San Francisco, following its multimedia presentation, Lanarkshire was awarded the opportunity to host the Children’s Games in 2011.

The International Committee's decision was unanimous and the whole of Lanarkshire, both North and South, is now preparing for 2000 visitors from all over the world to visit our area in August 2011.

Lanarkshire will ‘kick off’ a UK hat-trick of IOC events, with the International Children's Games in 2011, the London Olympics in 2012 and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014. And the hope is that many of the home-based youngsters who will take part in the Lanarkshire Games will move on to wear Scotland’s colours at Glasgow 2014. The 2011 Games will enable Lanarkshire to showcase its strengths and talents to a global audience and to share its belief in the intrinsic power of sport to change lives for the better, to improve communities and to foster ambitions for a brighter future.

Both North and South Lanarkshire Councils believe the 2011 Games represent a unique opportunity to encourage young people to take part in sport at ‘grassroots’ levels, with all of the associated benefits this involves – improving health, boosting confidence and self-belief and motivating young people to achieve their hopes and dreams.

Games Organising Committee

A 2011 Games Organising Committee has been set up, co-chaired by Jim Smith, Depute Leader of North Lanarkshire Council and Michael McCann, Depute Leader of South Lanarkshire Council. Over the next weeks and months officials from both councils will be working together to begin to determine the complex structure needed to house, transport, provide security and cater for 2,000 athletes, as well as organise a cultural programme and promote the Games throughout the world. High on the 2011 Committee's agenda is the determination to ensure the Games become a truly ‘community-led experience’, creating opportunities for young and old to become part of the biggest international event ever held in Lanarkshire.

In addition, it is expected that schools throughout Lanarkshire will use the Games to create a project-based learning opportunity. Lanarkshire's winning bid to stage the 2011 Games stressed that part of the legacy they wanted to create was a Lanarkshire-wide inter-school games – almost a return of the old ‘county games’ – that would be inaugurated as part of the run-up to the 2011 Games. The 2011 Organising Committee believe this will nurture the talented young hopefuls bidding to represent Lanarkshire at the 2011 Games and are confident it will uncover potential competitors to carry Scotland’s colours at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014. NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Greater Glasgow are enthusiastic supporters of the Games. They believe hosting the International Children's Games in 2011 will play a major role in the battle against childhood obesity in Lanarkshire. And they are determined to work with the 2011 Organising Committee to ensure the intervening three years are used to focus on the correlation between promoting sport, healthy eating and tackling the growing obesity problem.

Sporting Lanarkshire

Lanarkshire can boast a fine sporting heritage which is reflected in the diversity and quality of sports facilities available to local people. These people are renowned for working and playing hard; these characteristics are reflected in the World, European and British champions the area has produced, including boxers, rally drivers, athletes, footballers, snooker players and swimmers.

Factfile:
Lanarkshire 2011 sports (All events open to both male and female participants)
Event
Track and field
Swimming
Football (6-a-side)
Sailing
Badminton
Tennis
Volleyball
Judo
Golf

Factfile:
Lanarkshire 2011 venues
Dollan Aqua Centre, East Kilbride
John Wright Sports Centre, East Kilbride
Hamilton Palace Sports Ground
Esporta Health & Racquets Club, Hamilton
Hamilton Golf Club
Strathclyde Park Watersports Centre
Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility
Fir Park Stadium
Wishaw Sports Centre

In addition to five professional football stadiums Lanarkshire has unrivalled footballing facilities, competition standard swimming pools, outdoor running tracks and athletics grounds, as well as numerous double court sports centres.

The range of facilities available in sports centres and schools throughout Lanarkshire, including more than a dozen public and school swimming pools, will also offer participants access to high quality training and practice facilities.