Arthur Griffiths
Encyclopedia
Arthur Griffiths is a Canadian businessperson, philanthropist, and candidate for political office. He is former owner of the Vancouver
Canucks and General Motors Place
, and chaired the Vancouver/Whistler 2010 Bid Society which helped to bring the 2010 Winter Olympics
to the region. Griffiths ran unsuccessfully as the BC Liberal
candidate for a 2008 provincial byelection in the Vancouver-Burrard
riding (see below).
.
The Griffiths' family, including Arthur, were inducted into the British Columbia Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995 under the builder category. The induction noted "In addition to his duties as owner of the team, Arthur Griffiths was also actively involved at the league level as a member of the NHL's Marketing / Public Relations Committee."
On running the Canucks, Griffiths' is quoted, "It was a wonderful life experience that many people would give their right arm for and I'm blessed that I had it."
, was owned by the Pacific National Exhibition
. The old coliseum became unsuitable for the growing team, and as result Griffiths financed the building of GM Place in 1995. He is also responsible for the formation of the NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies
.
's endorsement of Vancouver's bid to host the 2010 Games, so that the bid could be presented before the International Olympic Committee
(IOC).
The Vancouver/Whistler 2010 Bid Society was dissolved in 2002 and succeeded by the more broadly-based Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation, which in 2003 successfully petitioned the IOC to award the Games to the region.
In 1991 Griffiths was the owner of the Vancouver Canucks
and controlled its community service arm, the Canuck Foundation. In that year he met Brenda Eng and George Jarvis, who had the idea and passion to create a children's hospice in the lower mainland. With the support of the Canuck Foundation, and other prominent organizations, 4 years later Canuck Place opened its doors.
nomination for the newly created Vancouver-West End
provincial riding. The following day, The Province
newspaper endorsed Griffiths. The Province, which has a heavy sports focus, is owned by the same parent company that bought out Frank Griffiths' Western International Communications.
However, due to Lorne Mayencourt
's subsequent resignation as MLA of the old Vancouver-Burrard
riding to run in the 2008 Canadian federal election, Griffiths ran in the ensuing byelection under the old boundaries, and was defeated by NDP candidate Spencer Chandra Herbert.
Griffiths is no longer planning to contest the Vancouver-West End
riding. In the 2009 election
, the BC Liberal candidate was Laura McDiarmid.
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
Canucks and General Motors Place
General Motors Place
Rogers Arena Rogers Arena Rogers Arena (nicknamed "The Phone Booth" and "The Cable Box" and also "The Garage" (when it was called GM Place) is an indoor sports arena located at 800 Griffiths Way in the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
, and chaired the Vancouver/Whistler 2010 Bid Society which helped to bring the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
to the region. Griffiths ran unsuccessfully as the BC Liberal
British Columbia Liberal Party
The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
candidate for a 2008 provincial byelection in the Vancouver-Burrard
Vancouver-Burrard
Vancouver-Burrard was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It first appeared on the hustings in the 1933 general election....
riding (see below).
Hockey Family
Griffiths is the son of Emily and Frank GriffithsFrank Griffiths
Frank A. Griffiths was a Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada media mogul through his company, Western International Communications Ltd. ....
.
The Griffiths' family, including Arthur, were inducted into the British Columbia Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995 under the builder category. The induction noted "In addition to his duties as owner of the team, Arthur Griffiths was also actively involved at the league level as a member of the NHL's Marketing / Public Relations Committee."
On running the Canucks, Griffiths' is quoted, "It was a wonderful life experience that many people would give their right arm for and I'm blessed that I had it."
GM Place
It was Griffiths who led the initiative to build GM Place. The original arena of the Canucks, the Pacific ColiseumPacific Coliseum
Pacific Coliseum is an indoor arena, at Hastings Park, in Vancouver, British Columbia.Completed in 1968, at the former site of the Pacific National Exhibition, the arena currently holds 16,281, for ice hockey, though capacity at its opening was 15,713....
, was owned by the Pacific National Exhibition
Pacific National Exhibition
The Pacific National Exhibition is a non profit organization which hosts an annual 17-day summer fair, seasonal amusement park, and arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It usually begins in mid-to-late August, and ends in early September, usually Labour Day.-History:The exhibition has been...
. The old coliseum became unsuitable for the growing team, and as result Griffiths financed the building of GM Place in 1995. He is also responsible for the formation of the NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies
Vancouver Grizzlies
The Vancouver Grizzlies were a professional basketball team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They were part of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Toronto Raptors, as part of the NBA's...
.
2010 Olympics
Griffiths' was invited to chair the not-for-profit Vancouver/Whistler 2010 Bid Society. In December 1998, the Bid Society obtained the Canadian Olympic CommitteeCanadian Olympic Committee
The Canadian Olympic Committee - COC is the private, non-profit organization representing Canadian athletes in the International Olympic Committee and the Pan American Games. It was formally recognized by the IOC in 1907. The COC also represents the selection of Canadian cities in their bid for...
's endorsement of Vancouver's bid to host the 2010 Games, so that the bid could be presented before the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC).
The Vancouver/Whistler 2010 Bid Society was dissolved in 2002 and succeeded by the more broadly-based Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation, which in 2003 successfully petitioned the IOC to award the Games to the region.
Canuck Place
From Canuck Place's official website, "Canuck Place is the first free-standing hospice for children in North America and its model of care has been used for many hospices..." "The goal of this specialized care, known as pediatric palliative care, is to enhance the comfort and quality of life for both the child and their family. It is achieved through the combination of active and compassionate therapies. Palliative care strives to support children and families by assisting them in fulfilling their physical, psychological, social and spiritual goals while remaining sensitive to personal, cultural and religious values, beliefs and practices."In 1991 Griffiths was the owner of the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
and controlled its community service arm, the Canuck Foundation. In that year he met Brenda Eng and George Jarvis, who had the idea and passion to create a children's hospice in the lower mainland. With the support of the Canuck Foundation, and other prominent organizations, 4 years later Canuck Place opened its doors.
BC Liberal Candidate for Vancouver-Burrard
On May 20, 2008, Griffiths announced plans to run for the BC LiberalBritish Columbia Liberal Party
The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
nomination for the newly created Vancouver-West End
Vancouver-West End
Vancouver-West End is a provincial electoral district in British Columbia, Canada established by the Electoral Districts Act, 2008. It was contested for the first time in the 2009 election.Prior to 2009, the riding was part of Vancouver-Burrard....
provincial riding. The following day, The Province
The Province
The Province is a daily, tabloid format newspaper published in British Columbia by Postmedia. It has been a daily newspaper since 1898.According to a recent NADbank survey, The Provinces average weekday readership was 520,100, making it British Columbia's most read newspaper...
newspaper endorsed Griffiths. The Province, which has a heavy sports focus, is owned by the same parent company that bought out Frank Griffiths' Western International Communications.
However, due to Lorne Mayencourt
Lorne Mayencourt
Lorne Mayencourt is a Canadian politician, who formerly represented the electoral district of Vancouver-Burrard in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as a member of the BC Liberal party....
's subsequent resignation as MLA of the old Vancouver-Burrard
Vancouver-Burrard
Vancouver-Burrard was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It first appeared on the hustings in the 1933 general election....
riding to run in the 2008 Canadian federal election, Griffiths ran in the ensuing byelection under the old boundaries, and was defeated by NDP candidate Spencer Chandra Herbert.
Griffiths is no longer planning to contest the Vancouver-West End
Vancouver-West End
Vancouver-West End is a provincial electoral district in British Columbia, Canada established by the Electoral Districts Act, 2008. It was contested for the first time in the 2009 election.Prior to 2009, the riding was part of Vancouver-Burrard....
riding. In the 2009 election
British Columbia general election, 2009
The 39th British Columbia general election was held on May 12, 2009 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The BC Liberal Party formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell...
, the BC Liberal candidate was Laura McDiarmid.