Loading articles...

Council gives green light to 2018 Alberta Winter Games, again

Last Updated Jul 26, 2016 at 9:36 pm MDT

After taking stock of the proposed venues for the 2018 Alberta Winter Games and getting feedback from the public, stakeholders, facility operators and the host committee council has approved going ahead with plans to host the Alberta Winter Games in February of 2018.

While 88 per cent of stake holders feel the community will be ready to host theĀ Games 51 per cent of the 279 members of the public surveyed do not.

That said, there was unanimous support for moving forward from the board of directors of the Host Society, even though three of them lost their own homes according to Co-Chair Mohamed Salem.

As well, staff assured council they have received the confidence of facility management their venues would be ready to host the Games despite damage to and around their sites, namely at Vista Ridge, on the Birchwood Trails and around the Frank Lacroix arena.

There are events planned for Anzac and Fort McKay as well as within the urban service area of Fort McMurray and cultural events planned for the opening and closing ceremonies and throughout the Games, as were seen during the 2016 Western Canada Summer Games.

With those assurances, and word there were continued commitments from volunteer bases throughout the community, council voted in favour of continuing plans to host the Games.

Eight members approved going ahead with the Games with Councillor Tyran Ault the only vote against the idea.

“I worried before the economic downturn in terms of the sponsorship money, the capacity of volunteers and things along those lines and I think my worries are still there,” he said. “If this gets approved I have no doubt that the community will rally and things along those lines but I worry about the escalated costs, I worry about the economic spinoff that we might not see if we’re sending people into camps and things along those lines and if I’m seeing us strapped for volunteers and sponsorship I’d much rather that go into the non-profits of the communtiy but I have no doubt that if this is successful tonight it will be a positive event for the community.”

That sentiment was echoed around the room, particularly from Councillor Phil Meagher who is a major advocate of sport for young people and of all competitions including Games as developmental experiences for young people.

“I really don’t believe this is for the hoteliers or for us. This is for the kids,” said Meagher. “Why should our kids miss out on something because of something that’s happened in our community? Kids need this. They need an outlet, and I think it makes them stronger citizens down the road.”

Councillor Sheldon Germain, who attended the summer games in Leduc this year with his son who was competing with the swim team that captured 30 medals, said the Games would be good for the soul of the community. He advocated for doing them simply and smoothly, the way they were done in Leduc.

The Games also got support as a rallying point for the community from Councillor Colleen Tatum who argued the community as a whole can’t simply cancel everything for the next five years while recovery takes place. She did express concern about billetting the athletes in the camps, as was done in the WCSG, and was told no decision has been made on that front yet.

Krista Balsom, a member of the staff for the WCSG and the board of the AWG said they have consulted with the schools and confirmed they don’t have the capacity to billet the athletes. Balsom also said that the camps were chosen because of security, food access, capacity and other reasons, all of which will be taken into account again in another competitive bidding process.

With the approval of the Games going ahead the board can begin hiring staff to work on hosting the Games.

Council has already approved nearly $3.4 million in funding for the Games.