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T Ilendervale owner disputes i Olympic committee refusai By HOWARD MOZEL Special 10 The Champion Stinging from being passed over by Toronto's Olympic Bid Committee, the owner of Hendervale Equestrian Complex is stili searching for answers three months after receiving the bad news. Janet Manbert first heard they were snubbed back in May while attending a show at the North Caledon Equestrian Centre (NCEC) in Paîgrave, Ont. She wasn't informed by letter or e-mail, but by a public announcement on the loud speaker that NCEC was named ta potentially host 2008 Olympic equestrian events. "That was not well-received. Everyone asked why," taid Ms Manbert. "I would have chosen York well ahead of them. If they had, I wouldn't have said a word." To back up her contention that Hendervale is far more suitable than NCEC, Ms Manbert prepared an exhaustive companson of the two sites which she included in a letter ta Ontarlo Premier Mike Harris. This liat, she said, shows that everything including public acceas and proximity ta Toronto is in Hendervale's favour. Especially important, said Ms Manbert, is the legacy ai whichev- er site hasts the equestnan events. Hendervale, she said, would have continued ta be a major attraction while NCEC will nat. "When this is ail over with, no one will go near Paîgrave," said Ms Manbert. Sînce 1996 the $7 5 million Hendervale site has hosted major international equestrian events, some of the largeat staged in the Ontaria in fact. In 1996, three members of the Toronto Bid Committee came ta the site - located at the crasaroada of Oakville, Milton and Burlingtan - and looked over the property. "They ssid it would be absolute- ly fabulaus for the 2008 equestrian events," said Ms Manbert, whQ explained that five or six other venues planned ta b~ Countlesa volunteer haurs and $25,000 later, Ms Manbert also submitted a proposaI. Then in May came the bad news. "Paîgrave has nothing ta offer, but property as she venue and noth- ing ta offer for the infrastructure," said Ms Manbert, It will coat shree or four tîmes the amount ta build the equestrian facîlity in Paîgrave sait wauld here as Hendervale," If Toronta wants ta hast a prof- itable gaines, Ms Manbert contin- ued, more erophasis should be placed on facilitating spectatar par- ticipation and holding down cossa. Ms Manbert fired off her leSter ta the bid committee and six weeks laser she received a reply which she characterized aa "generic." In the reply, sports and venues vice-presi- dent and chair Doug Hamilton said Paîgrave is the "beas venue" for the games and that "only a portion" of Hendervale is suitable. The profes- sionals hired by Ms Manbert ta asseas her site arrived at the oppo- site conclusion, she said. While examining the criteria for the gaines, Ms Manbert said she believed shat her site already pos- sessed 75 per cent of the physical graunda and buildings and 90 per cent of the necesssry infrastructure for everything but the cross-coun- try events. She was also willing ta spend the dollars ta bring it up ta the necessary standards. "Really, it's not a great deal ai work ta get il ready," said Ms Manbert. For example, 400 stalîs are need- ed. Hendervale already has 350 with plans ta add many more before 2908. Ms Manbert saîd Hendervale is 25 minutes from Toranta an major highways instead af an hour thraugh heavy traffic on a two-lane road like Paîgrave. Public trans- portation ta Hendervale includes VIA Rail and GO, whîle there's na mass transit ta the NCEC. Locally, there's a hospital five minutes away. In Paîgrave, a hos- pital is 35 minutes away. Hendervale has 35-minute acceas ta Guelph Agricultural College - the best veterinarian facility in esatein Canada - while the near- est such facility ta NCEC is 90 minutes away. "Ijuat feel we didn't get a fair shake," said Ms Manbert, The Canadlan Chani~lan Tuseda 8 5 20004 TkeWJltImatw SUC Tvusk vsat mess soms~ =TUA-CAD UWD .FRT W~ *TAXE5 - OR L~foe~ w 3 Vr/60 000km $2000 Dawn + FR! & Taxes mm. - +FRT ,~ OR Loess et1 r From 3 vr/ 60,000km $4900 Dswn FR! & Taxes +TAXE5 *SportSIdS eT ruse *CD Player *Deep Tint *4.3L V6 sAuta *AJR *3rd Door ~r iwit.d go attend tb..~. Mîlton SeniorsA~Acti~ Join va for TMFREI reglator for upa ',manily groupa, Centre $73,97$ *9,9fl '55 'I