VANCOUVER AND COEVORDEN, ALWAYS CONNECTED
Delegation from Coevorden and Drenthe at Vancouver Winter Olympics to underline Dutch Olympic ambitions.

Did you know that Vancouver is named after the Dutch town Coevorden and that the Netherlands are planning to apply for organising the Olympic Games in 2028, exactly 100 years after the Olympic games in Amsterdam in 1928? Did you know that Richmond, near Vancouver, holds a replica of the castle of Coevorden? And that the Municipality of Coevorden is present in Vancouver and will host an event where all the above is combined? (25 February, 7.00 pm, Fantasy Garden World, 100800 No.5 Road, Richmond, BC, Canada) The queen’s commissioner of the Province of Drenthe, the Mayor of Coevorden as well as the Coevorden Foundation 2010 will be present there to host this event.  

Coevorden-Vancouver: the historical connection
Vancouver owes its name to Captain George Vancouver, the man who named the city and a descendant of one of the Lords of Coevorden, Reint Wolter van Coevorden. For generations, the Van Coevorden family ruled over the area that is now known as the Province of Drenthe from the Castle. More info on the historical connection on the Vancouverpage of this website.

Broad mission in Canada
The municipality of Coevorden and the province of Drenthe have a common, broad mission in Canada. Over the coming years, Drenthe aims to become a province where sports and exercise play an important role. With the ‘Drenthe 2028’ Drenthe Olympic Plan, the province is setting a comprehensive campaign in motion. During the Winter Olympics, we will promote the Drenthe Olympic Plan to national and international sports representatives, the general public and the press. The delegation from Drenthe consists of the Mayor Bert Bouwmeester and sports alderman Jetty Remmelts-Van Royen of the Municipality of Coevorden, the board of the Foundation Coevorden 2010, their sponsors in Coevorden and the Queen’s Commissioner Jacques Tichelaar of the province of Drenthe and the Drenthe Deputy of Sports Anneke Haarsma,.   

‘Drenthevent’ at Richmond Castle
In addition to several official receptions and attendance at NOC*NSF (Dutch Olympic Committee/Dutch Sports Federation) meetings, a special event is planned for Thursday, 25 February (7.00 pm, Fantasy Garden World, 100800 No.5 Road, Richmond, BC, Canada). On this date, the Drenthevent’ will be held at the replica of the Coevorden Castle Richmond. During this festive event, the Drenthe Olympic Plan will be presented. A special focus will also be placed on the use of the Castle at both the Richmond and Coevorden locations. Built in 1986 in Vancouver, the replica fell into disuse in the years since its construction. Especially for the ‘Drenthevent’ the castle is temporarily redesigned.