From left, assembly member Billy Jones, Lake Placid Mayor Art Devlin, Pyeongchang Mayor Shim Jae-guk, assembly member Bobby Carroll and IBSF President Ivo Ferriani pose with gifts from the Korean delegation who signed a partnership agreement with Lake Placid at the IBSF World Championships on Friday at Mount Van Hoevenberg. (Enterprise photo — Grace McIntyre)

LAKE PLACID — Pyeongchang, Korea joined the ranks of former Olympic cities to sign an official partnership with Lake Placid this weekend during the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation World Championships. Amidst the gifts and pleasantries, Lake Placid Mayor Art Devlin said this is a way to “keep the name alive” and keep Lake Placid on the radar of the broader Olympic community.

Former Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism CEO Jim McKenna, who drove the effort behind these partnerships for many years, agreed with this. Lake Placid is unique even among the select group of Olympic cities — a township of 8,000 in North Elba rubbing elbows with cities like Beijing.

“These kind of relationships help us continue to be in the spotlight, globally,” McKenna said.

This is the most recent agreement among more than a dozen that Lake Placid has formed over the years, according to McKenna. This effort started in 1988 with Calgary, continuing with many other former Olympic cities as well as several Winter World University Games host cities.

In a speech before signing the agreement, Devlin said this agreement is a recognition of shared values and a promise to continue economic and educational collaborations.

“We now welcome each other as we continue to embrace the values of respect, unity and collaboration that define both of our communities,” he said.

Pyeongchang Mayor Shim Jae-guk spoke through an interpreter to thank Lake Placid for the help it gave as Pyeongchang was preparing to host the Olympic Games in 2018.

“Our games were successful because we learned from you,” Shim said.

Lake Placid, ORDA and IBSF officials were joined by New York State assemblymembers Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay Lake, and Bobby Carroll, D-Brooklyn.

John Morgan, a Saranac Lake native and long-time bobsled commentator and broadcaster, was excited about this new partnership. Among the benefits of this relationship, Morgan said, is Pyeongchang’s proven ability to promote bobsledding and help develop sliding athletes.

Aided by Pyeongchang, Thailand three years ago joined the growing number of Southeast Asian countries to compete internationally in bobsledding. Last year, Thai monobob athlete Agnese Campeol earned her country’s first medal at the Youth Olympic Games. Both men’s and women’s teams from Thailand are competing in the world championships this weekend in Lake Placid. The growth of the sport is exciting for Morgan to watch.

“I’ve been in this sport my whole life,” Morgan said. “If you would’ve told me five years ago, eight years ago there could be teams from Thailand in the Lake Placid World Championship … I’m aghast.”