The City of Richmond is only interested in attracting major events to the Olympic oval and has lost touch with community sport.
That's the frank assertion of Richmond Sports Council chair Jim Lamond in the wake of city council's decision not to bid for the 2016 BC Summer Games.
Lamond pulled no punches in his assessment of why city staff and the majority of Richmond councillors steered clear of hosting the grassroots event for 14-16-year-old athletes in four years.
"(The city's) focus has been lost a little and it's not surprising that the city's sports hosting office has been moved to the oval," said Lamond.
"However, 90 per cent of the sports tournaments in the city are run by volunteers and are held away from the oval.
"The oval is a marvelous building, but it has to justify its existence and that's where the city's focus has gone."
Richmond can't and shouldn't lose sight of sport in the community, insisted Lamond. "This has been a big opportunity missed."
City staff recommended no bid be placed due to concerns over cost - estimated to be $367,000 - a strain on staff resources, ability to attract volunteers and a clash with other established sporting events.
Mayor Malcolm Brodie, along with councillors Linda Barnes, Harold Steves, Chak Au and Derek Dang voted last week to go with the staff's view.
The rest of council, Bill McNulty, Ken Johnston, Evelina Halsey-Brandt and Linda McPhail, were all in favour of putting in a bid.
Lamond added that he was "very disappointed" about the decision and finds it "hard to believe the games are good for everywhere else in B.C., but not for Richmond."
"We thought it was a perfect fit and some of the city staff's numbers on this one were way out of line.
"However, our budget was $860,000 and the city's was around $1.2 million. No summer games has ever lost money."
Lamond said he felt city staff were "coming up with excuses more than anything else.
"They said it would interfere with programs already running in the summer, such as the Nations Cup and the Dolphin Classic. But they are flexible to their dates and are only in one location.
"I think staff have definitely lost sight of what Richmond should be going after.
"All they're interested in is hosting big international events and all of it is geared
