MONTREAL, March 9, 2018 (Press Release)
The breadth of the sport tourism industry in Canada was honoured at the 12th annual Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA) PRESTIGE Awards. Tennis Canada’s Montreal tournament, Rogers Cup presented by National Bank, was the winner of the CSTA Sustainable Sport Event of the Year Award along with the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon in Halifax.
Recipients were announced on Thursday, March 8, 2018 during the 12th PRESTIGE Awards gala luncheon at the CSTA’s annual Sport Events Congress at the Halifax Convention Centre. Jack Graham, Director Emeritus on Tennis Canada’s Board of Directors, accepted the award on behalf of the Rogers Cup.
In support of the zero-waste component of Tennis Canada’s Green Plan, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2017, 91% of the waste material generated by 216,097 spectators at the Rogers Cup was was recovered through composting and recycling. Activities included on-site double sorting in the three-choice bins, under the watchfulness of the team of volunteers trained to do so and to the sorting center located behind the venue where all the bags are opened and their content redirected when appropriate. As well, a free shuttle service, the free access to the STM network and a 285-place secured parking lot for bikes were provided. Indigenous plants and flowers requiring little water were used in the decor. Food surplus from catering was distributed to various charity organizations. The paper version of the souvenir magazine was abolished in favour of an electronic application and the daily program was printed on 100%-recycled paper.
“In 2007, Tennis Canada put forward a Green Plan due to a sincere concern for the environmental issues that are an integral part of everyday life in society. Year after year, Tennis Canada has reiterated this commitment to sustainable development by making ecoresponsible measures an integral part of the various tournaments they organize,” stated Eugène Lapierre, Rogers Cup presented by National Bank Tournament Director. “This is a great form of recognition that we received today. We want to be leaders in this field by advocating for continuous innovation and improvement in our practices to ensure that Rogers Cup presented by National Bank remains of the most ecoresponsible events in Canada.”
