Featured image credit: Rider Levett Bucknall
Sustainable Venue Solutions (SVS), the joint venture established by Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) and World Academy of Sport (WAoS), has teamed up with World Curling to launch a programme designed to foster the development of elite curling facilities around the world.
The Global Facilities Certification Programme (GFCP) intends to create a global network of accredited venues that uphold excellence in operations, sustainability and inclusivity. Facilities will be certified under five categories as follows:
Recognised Facility
As the entry tier of the certification process, this is designed for local and community-based facilities that are used to introduce newcomers to the sport and foster initial engagement. This certification level focuses on promoting accessibility and inclusivity and ensuring the facilities provide a safe, welcoming and supportive atmosphere for participants.
Training Centre
This level is designed to recognise national curling facilities that demonstrate a commitment to improving infrastructure, operational competency, staff training and community engagement. To achieve this certification a facility requires more comprehensive infrastructure and operational standards, sports programming and ambitions concerning sustainability goals.
Training Centres are versatile facilities that are capable of hosting local and national events, fostering athlete development and the growth of the sport.
Training Centre Gold
The highest recognition within the training centre category. This certification is awarded to facilities that go beyond the standard training centre criteria by demonstrating excellence in several areas.
Excellence Centre
The top-tier of certifications reserved for world-class facilities capable of hosting international curling competitions. Excellence Centres must meet the highest standards in sustainability, infrastructure and operational excellence and include international-standard ice quality and spectator facilities.
Excellence Centre Gold
The pinnacle of the Global Facilities Certification Programme. This certification is awarded to world-class facilities that set the benchmark for curling infrastructure and operations globally.
Recognising the vital role that sporting venues play in their communities, the World Curling CFCP encourages venue stakeholders to further deepen their community engagement, ensuring that curling facilities provide measurable social value beyond the sport itself.
Jonathan Edwards, general manager of SVS and RLB national head of sports and entertainment, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating on this certification process, ensuring that best practices and global standards are upheld.
“This truly international initiative unites venues worldwide in their commitment to operational excellence, staff development and sustainability goals. This milestone marks a significant step forward in strengthening the infrastructure of curling worldwide, fostering a more connected, high quality and community-driven sport.
“SVS is proud to be assisting the global sporting industry set such standards and will continue to help our global partners build a community across all sports that helps us all further recognise the contribution of the built environment and measure the true social value of sport holistically.”
Michael Cary, deputy managing director of digital, licencing and academic at World Academy of Sport, added: “With curling’s popularity growing globally – with an estimated 5,000 venues – the GFCP presents an opportunity for facilities to go beyond the sport and be a further part of the social and educational fabric of their local communities by delivering global educational programs through the World Curling Academy locally in their venues. This is a core output of our Global Sport Agora where sports and business meet.”
As a core aspect of the World Curling Strategic Forward Plan, developing a network of facilities was one of the ‘Big Ideas’ defined to ensure the sustainable future of the sport. The GFCP is the first stage of that development and will define the standardised level of facility required for the various levels of engagement in the curling community.
World Curling board director and technical commission chair, David Sik, said: “We couldn’t have got to this point without our successful partnership with Sustainable Venue Solutions and the World Academy of Sport.
“Facilities are a fundamental aspect of our sport and this certification allows us to grow and develop that network while setting important standards for their operation.
“Becoming a Recognised Facility is the first step on a much larger journey. This certification brings the community of facility owners closer together and will provide them with vital support to ensure the stable foundation for our sport for years to come.”
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