The Foothills Highland Games is on the move for 2017.
The annual celebration of Scottish heritage and culture has moved down the road and changed dates because of the field closure and ongoing construction at Foothills Composite High School. The Games are at St. John Paul II Collegiate on July 29 this year, one month earlier than in past years.
Dave Roe, games committee chairman, said the games organizing committee had to look for a new home after the Foothills Composite field was closed in January due to high methane levels coming from a former landfill on the site.
While the field was reopened this month, he said it was too late for this year’s games.
“This year they’re going to be topping it with more top soil so we wouldn’t have access to the fields regardless,” said Roe. “We had to do a move this year.”
The games have been held on the high school’s football field and neighbouring Howard Park since they moved to Okotoks from High River in 2010.
Roe said the games were also impacted by modernization construction at the Foothills Composite. In past years, the Highland dance competition could be moved inside the school in the event of poor weather. However, Roe said the school wasn’t available last year due to construction and they won’t be able to access it this year either.
The games is one of the larger community events in Okotoks each year, attracting thousands of visitors. Last year’s attendance was approximately 3,500.
“It’s a cultural draw and a draw to the town itself,” said Roe.
It’s not known yet whether the games will be back at the Foothills Composite in 2018. Roe said he is working with the Town to secure a larger, long-term location for the games.
“We’re hoping to be able to move to a larger facility for 2018,” he said.
Games organizers wanted to stay in Okotoks, said Roe, preferably in a central location. The organizing committee looked at several potential locations and settled on St. John Paul II field for this year.
It fit the bill, said Roe.
“It’s centrally located, people can walk to it and we have access to stores and more amenities as well,” he said.
Roe said parking for this year’s games will be at St. John Paul II and overflow parking is available at the Foothills Composite and at St. Mary’s School.
The annual ceilidh will be held in the Foothills Centennial Centre.
It has traditionally been held on the games grounds; however, Roe said it was moved to the centre because of the number of homes in close proximity to the St. John Paul II field.
The games will feature the same activities people have come to expect, but Roe said the event will be pared back slightly for 2017.
He said the committee is looking for more sponsors for individual competitions to help cover rising costs. According to Roe, organizers also ran into higher costs last year because of a need to rent covered tent space for dance competitions.
He said the organizing committee is also recruiting volunteers and members ahead of the July games.
A board meeting has been scheduled for April 30 at 6 p.m. in the Western Wheel boardroom for anyone who is interested.
For information and to contact the organizing committee, visit the Foothills Highland Games Facebook page at Okotoks Foothills Highland Games.
