Spruce Grove to honour Olympian Jennifer Heil

SPRUCE GROVE, AB, Dec. 17 /CNW/ - The City of Spruce Grove will pay tribute to Spruce Grove native, World Cup and Olympic gold medallist freestyle skier Jennifer Heil by naming a street in her honour.

A portion of Campsite Road from Highway 16A north to Highway 16 will be renamed Jennifer Heil Way.

"Not only has Jennifer made remarkable contributions to her sport, she has also been a goodwill ambassador for Spruce Grove and an inspiration to those who strive to achieve excellence," said Mayor Stuart Houston . "Her dedication to making a difference in her community makes us proud to call her one of our own."

"I am greatly touched and honored by the City of Spruce Grove's recognition of my sporting achievements," said Jennifer Heil . "Spruce Grove nurtured my dream to be an Olympic Champion by providing important grass root sport programs and coaching. I am grateful for the unwavering support I have received from the community since the start of my dream."

The official renaming will take place in the spring of 2010 and will include a community celebration. Further details will be released early in 2010.

Campsite Road was chosen because it is a main artery through the city and provides access to two of the region's significant sports venues - Fuhr Sports Park and the TransAlta Tri Leisure Centre.

Some highlights of Jennifer Heil's career include four consecutive World Cup titles from 2003 to 2007 and Canada's first Olympic gold medal of the 2006 games in Turin , Italy . In 2007, she was named CanWest Media's Canadian Female Athlete of the Year. Jennifer is also active in a number of charitable organizations that promote child development and girls' rights.

For further information: Media Inquiries, Jennifer Hetherington, Manager, Corporate Communications, City of Spruce Grove, [phone], [email protected]; Kelley Korbin, Media Relations Manager, Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, [phone], [email protected]