Summer Games golden!
By John Barlow
Editor
No matter how one looks at it, the 2004 Alberta Summer Games were the
best ever.
Okotoks, High River and the MD of Foothills hosted Alberta’s premier
multi-sport event last weekend and the massive undertaking was an even
bigger success.
“We proved we could do it,” said Games chair Diane Turner
at the volunteer rally on Sunday evening.
“Each and every person involved in High River, Okotoks, Black
Diamond and the MD of Foothills should be proud. We raised the bar for
us.”
More than 3,200 athletes competed in the Games making it the largest
Games in the event’s 30-year history. The athletes competed in
17 sports and a total of 512 medals were handed out over the three days
of competition.
In addition, several other Summer Games records were broken during the
weekend on and off the field of competition.
According to organizers the 2004 edition of the Alberta Summer Games
set new records for attendance at Opening Ceremonies, souvenir sales
and number of spectators.
Three-day passes for the Games were sold out on Friday and more had
to be printed for Saturday and Sunday.
“The Games went off better than any of us imagined,” said
Turner. “The fact that it was the most successful Games ever is
a tribute to our organizers and volunteers.”
As often happens, the residents of Okotoks, High River and the MD of
Foothills answered the call when needed.
Initially, the Games committee had wanted 3,000 volunteers for the Games,
but just days before the Games only 1,500 had registered.
However, by the time the torch was lit on Thursday night at the Opening
Ceremonies close to 2,700 had committed to help in some capacity —
security, food service, parking, score keeping and numerous other tasks.
The trademark royal blue T-shirts of the Games volunteers were everywhere
and on everyone from young children to seniors each doing their part
to ensure the Alberta Summer Games were successful.
Seeing the Games come to a close has resulted in a mixed bag of emotions
for Turner and the Games committee.
First, there was plenty of anxiety in the days leading up to the Games
and literally hundreds of questions raced through Turner’s head,
.
But when the 3,200 athletes arrived on Thursday there was no time to
worry about answers.
“There was a lump in my throat when the athletes arrived,”
admitted Turner. “Today, when we waved good-bye there was another
lump in my throat.”
But saying good-bye to the athletes has not been the only difficult
adjustment for Turner and the committee.
Over the past two years representatives from High River, Okotoks and
the surrounding area have worked closely together to plan for the Summer
Games.
Now, those close relationships, like the left over Games souvenirs,
will be shelved.
Or with they?
“People ask what will be the legacy of these Games?” asked
Turner. “The relationships that have been formed between these
communities that is the legacy. That is the saddest thing. I don’t
want to lose contact with these people — they have been my family.”
The communities of High River and Okotoks, often bitter rivals, have
shown they can work together to put on heck of a show.
For Turner, the Alberta Summer Games may not be the last time these
two team up to host a significant event.
But, as the last few straggling volunteers finish their Big Rock beers
at Sunday’s rally, it is clear this will be the last big event
for a while as everyone involved is eager to get home for a well-earned
nap
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In this issue...
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WELCOME
HOME
Okotokian wins Stampede Home
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MORE GAMES
Full Summer Games coverage
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LIKE A FOX
Mitchell Fox rolls at Future Links
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Canadian recording artist Fefe Dobson
drew cheers from this Parkland athlete at the Opening Ceremonies for
the 2004 Alberta Summer Games last Thursday, but it was the athletes
who truly rocked the foothills last weekend.
photo by Ryan Laverty
Summer Games - Event leaves lasting legacy
By Lucy Rowed
contributor
The 2004 Alberta Summer Games will leave more than memories.
Improvements totaling three-quarters of a million dollars will remain
in the region as a result of hosting the event, said Diane Turner,
Games chair.
The biggest single items are the new $375,000 track in High River
and $50,000 worth of new bleachers to be spread throughout the region.
“After the Games, the board will decide where to put them,”
Turner said.
In Okotoks, the soccer and baseball fields have been upgraded to the
tune of $200,000.
“We created another soccer field and upgraded the ones that
were there,” Turner stated.
The Littler Field baseball diamond behind the Okotoks Recreation Centre
also received significant upgrades.
As well, the football fields at Holy Trinity Academy and Foothills
Composite were top-dressed, seeded and over-seeded. Some gym floors
were also refinished.
High River also received upgrades to ball diamonds and gym floors,
as well as new pool bleachers and starting blocks, but their biggest
legacy is the track at Highwood High School.
The 400m track was partially paid for by a Community Facilities Enhancement
Grant of $125,000, plus $42,000 in other grants and $20,000 donated
by the Highwood Parent Council.
Once the dust has settled and all the bills are paid - probably by
mid-August - there might be some additional legacy money, Turner noted.
“Any money that’s left after we pay our bills is legacy
money…if there is any funding left over, it becomes a board
decision how to split it,” she said.
Sporting equipment purchased for the Games will be distributed to
local sporting associations, Turner said.
In addition to the capital infrastructure, the region has also been
left with improvements to its human infrastructure in the form of
closer ties among the communities.
“I think personally that is the biggest legacy, the friendships
and the working relationships between the communities,” Turner
said.
“I’ve met some fantastic people from other communities
who I would never have met otherwise.”
Games resulted in booming business
By Lucy Rowed
contributor
Business boomed for many local establishments during the 2004 Summer
Games but for a few it was a bust.
“It was significantly more business than usual,” said
Barry Pritchard, owner of Country Lane RV Park east of Okotoks on
Highway 2.
“We had a minimum of 100 RV sites rented out for three-to-four
nights.”
The Lions Campground in Okotoks, which did not necessarily benefit
from the extra visitors because it is typically full during a summer
weekend, was overflowing with tents on every available spot, said
Joan Robertson at the campground.
“We’ve had people coming in begging for spots,”
she said on Friday.
“We put them wherever we can.”
The Best Western was also booked, however the 68 rooms are normally
full every summer weekend, said owner Wayne Lauinger.
“Still, it’s great for the community to have an event
like this,” he said.
Gas stations benefited from the greater volume of traffic in town.
“There was a substantial difference for our business,”
said Asif Mir, manager of the PetroCanada.
Sales were boosted in part by the heat, he said.
“We sold lots of slushies, we sold lots of drinks... we sold
a lot of gas on the last two days when people were leaving.”
Also enjoying an increase in sales were grocery stores.
“There was definitely increased traffic in here,” said
Shawn Eltom, assistant manger of Canada Safeway.
Customers stocked up on one item in particular, he said.
“Water, tons of water.”
Many local restaurants reaped the benefits of the increased visitors.
“It was a great weekend,” said Darren Nixon, owner/chef
of Café Divine.
“On Friday we broke our day record. On Saturday our lunch
was insane, we broke the lunch record.”
However, the picture was significantly different for another business.
For Morgan Munro owner of the Seventy Nine restaurant/lounge on
Elizabeth St., the expected boom did not materialize.
“I hired extra staff…but it was dead,” said Munro.
“Normally I’m really busy on Thursday, Friday, Saturday
night…it was definitely a shock for me…business-wise,
it was a loss.”
Diane Turner, Games chairwoman, said the province estimates the
economic impact of the Summer Games on the host communities to be
$2-$4 million including the value of new facilities. With the 2004
Summer Games breaking attendance records, Turner anticipates the
impact will prove to be at the upper end.
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