DARTMOUTH – When the World Junior Volleyball Championships were brought to Halifax for the first time two years ago, everyone wondered if it would fly.
Well, it was so successful the event returned last year and the sport has taken off locally.
Now, the city has 12 brand new beach volleyball courts that could help drive a rapid expansion of interest in the sport.
Halifax Mayor Mike Savage kicked off his shoes and rolled up his pants, Friday afternoon, as he and his councillor teammates held first serve at the new Beach Volleyball Park ,in the Burnside Industrial Park.
“I think in the city there’s a growing recognition that we need to be involved in a healthy and liveable community,” said the mayor.”So we’re supporting this, Health and Wellness Nova Scotia is supporting this and Volleyball Nova Scotia has been a big pusher of this.”
The courts, which Nova Scotia’s Canada Games team put to use on Friday, said they’re delighted with the new facility – the first of it’s kind in Nova Scotia.
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“This facility is awesome,” said Canada Games team member Julie Theisen. “It’s going to help give kids a place to play to get interested in it and then they can go on if they want to to play a higher level.”
Her teammate Anna Dunn-Suen said, “I think having a facility like this, it’s going to boost the popularity – I mean volleyball has grown so much in the past couple of years.”
It certainly has, according to the president of Volleyball Nova Scotia.
“Over the last four years, we’ve increased volleyball membership in the province by 10 per cent per year, every year, and beach volleyball now even more so than that,” said Dave Swetnam.
The facility will be used to host charity events, as well as national and regional competitions.
In fact, the Atlantic championship takes place next month at the site.
“Because this sand comes from an international event, it’s been approved by the FIBV,” says Dave Swetnam. “So, we can host any international events on this sand because all the sand has to be approved by the FIBV in order to play on it.”
The sand came from the Sand Jam events the last two years, on the Halifax waterfront, which hosted the World Junior Championships.
Derek Martin brought those events to the city and wanted to leave a lasting legacy.
“Here it is,” he said. “Events come and go. They can be a great experience and a lot of fun, but when you can leave behind a legacy like this you know that truly makes it a memorable and valuable event for the city when this can be a part of it and this is what’s here forever now.”
Martin will put on Sand Jam involving pro players next month.
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