Robbie Hellstrom named to high post at Canada Olympic Park

Robbie Hellstrom named to high post at Canada Olympic Park{mosimage}With a commitment to improving the guest experience at Canada Olympic Park, and to better serve Canadian athletes, CODA has announced the hiring of Robbie Hellstrom on Tuesday as its first-ever chief operating officer and general manager of Canada Olympic Park.

Hellstrom, originally from Montreal, brings almost two decades of leading tourism, sport, project development and management expertise to the newly created position.

The trilingual executive has been involved in building major resorts from Quebec’s Mont Tremblant to elite golf courses, ranging from the Dundarave Golf Course and Academy at the Brudenell River Resort in Prince Edward Island to the Valley Ridge Golf and Conference Centre in Calgary. Completed in just 117 days, the Dundarave project remains the fastest-built golf course in Canadian history.

“CODA is committed to providing Canadian athletes with the facilities needed to excel on the international stage and to serving the recreation and tourism needs of guests from around the world through the creation of the Canadian Centre of Sport Excellence in southern Alberta,” said John Mills, president, CODA. “Robbie is an extraordinary talent whose experience and enthusiasm will add immense value to our organization as we continue to turn our vision into reality, and deliver the resources needed for Canadian athletes to excel against the world’s best.”

Hellstrom will also be counted on to launch initiatives to improve the overall quality of programs and services offered at Canada Olympic Park this winter where a new $3.5-million high-speed detachable quad chairlift has been added to meet increased recreation and athlete training demands.

“Canadian sport must continue to build and grow Canada Olympic Park as a world-leading training, recreation and tourism venue,” said Hellstrom. “My focus is to ensure Canada Olympic Park positively impacts our nation’s high-performance athletes, while delivering exceptional products and services to the one million guests who visit us each year.”

Hellstrom brings a wealth of knowledge in ski area resorts and operations to the Park, having spent nearly 20 years in a variety of ski resort roles from general manager to snowmaker and lift operator, while employed by Ski Morin Heights and Mont Olympia in the Laurentian Mountains near Montreal, Mont Ste. Marie North in the Ottawa/Hull region, and Mount St. Louis/Moonstone Ski Resort in Ontario.

An avid athlete who enjoys hockey, golf, rugby and soccer, Hellstrom values his charitable work, particularly with Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities. In 2001, Hellstrom was recognized as one of the top-10 most influential people in the golf industry by NGCOA Canada.