Keeping things connected
Rob Foster seemed like a natural choice as the chair of the technology committee for the 2021 Canada Summer Games.
The Beamsville resident retired last year after an extensive career of more than 40 years in information technology as a senior IT manager, both in the media industry and healthcare.
“I decided I’d spent 40 years and wanted to do a few other things in my life,” said Foster, a 60-year-old native of Waterloo. “I was talking to someone at the regional chair’s golf tournament last year about various things that were going on and decided it might be something fun to consider and went through the interview process.”
Foster, who was elected to regional council in 2018, has a lot on his plate in his role.
“We’re looking at the requirements of both the sports and spectators, the officials, the media and the facilities themselves for the particular sports,” he said. “We’re going to make sure the technologies that are needed are going to be there and available.”
Foster cited the softball diamonds in Grimsby as an example.
“There will be an expectation of so many people there, an expectation they will require wireless, and that officials will need some sort of connectivity because they need to keep tabs on things and the various sports teams may or may not require additional technology.
“We have to make sure everything that is required to make sure the Games runs smoothly is there and has been thought about.”
Once the Games begin in August of 2021, Foster and his staff of volunteers will shift into a different mindset.
“During the Games themselves, the team I have working with me will be at the various facilities so that if something does go wrong, we’re going to be the first point of contact, likely to go and try and get things resolved,” he said.
Foster has recruited about a dozen volunteers so far with the expectation of about three times that many once the Games begin.
He was first elected to Lincoln town council in a by-election in January of 2001 and served continuously representing Ward 1 for the past 18 years.
At the Town of Lincoln, Foster held many roles including deputy mayor (seven years) and chair of planning and development (nine years). He also chaired the Corporate Priorities/Business Planning Committee for a total of eight years, a position which included chairing the budget process for the Town of Lincoln.
He and his wife moved to the Niagara Region in 1993.
“We absolutely love Niagara and I have to admit I really like my time in Lincoln,” he said. “I’ve always thought Niagara was a bit of a best-kept secret although a lot of people are moving into the area now.”
He feels The Games have the potential of being phenomenal.
“I think this is going to be a good way to bring people into the community, to let them see what we have,” he said. “It may be a good news/bad news situation. Once people realize what a great place Niagara is, that could have influence on things into the future.”
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