The 2012 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games are two years away, yet St. Albert is already living up to its pre-games slogan of “shine on.” It has been quite a week for St. Albert, which gained considerable exposure on the local, provincial and national stage. On Tuesday the city was awarded the 2012 games, an event that is expected to bring more than 1,000 athletes, their families, coaches and supporters. On Wednesday, St. Albert won the right to host the 2011 Continental Cup of Curling, another high-profile event that will showcase 48 of the world’s best curlers at Servus Credit Union Place. These announcements came just days after St. Albert was awarded the 2011 Esso Cup, featuring the best female midget hockey players in the country.
While these three competitions will capture national attention, St. Albert will roll out the red carpet for many more events over the next two years. Our province’s most experienced athletes will display their skills in sports like cross-country skiing, curling and bowling when the 55-Plus Alberta Winter Games get under way in February 2011, kick-starting the city’s 150th anniversary celebrations. St. Albert will fete Alberta’s most creative artists when the Lieutenant Governor Awards are held later that year. Those events, sure to enhance St. Albert’s reputation as a wonderful host city, come on the heels of recent successes like last year’s Tim Hortons Canadian Ringette Championship and the Special Olympics Alberta Summer Games this past summer.
The sheer number of high-profile events coming to St. Albert is obviously influenced by the city’s 150th anniversary celebrations. Indeed that significant community milestone gave city leadership and community groups the impetus to bid on such games and events. These events go beyond gamesmanship; they will provide a much-needed boost to our civic pride, extending our anniversary celebrations all year long.
These special events are coming to our community despite the fact the city does not have a hosting strategy, an item that’s been on council’s wish-list since 2005. Council was deeply disappointed with city’s first attempt — a consultant’s report prepared over the summer failed to account for all city venues, undervalued the local volunteer base and even dismissed St. Albert as a viable standalone venue for major events.
Council has given administration the go-ahead to continue working on a strategy, a process that will lead to a full business plan next spring and a new advisory committee. While this work will hopefully lead to an even larger, more diverse pool of community events — trade shows, indoor rodeo, agricultural shows, film and music festivals are among a few of the possibilities — council should not overlook the trump card in our community’s favour: will.
The 55-Plus Games, Continental Cup, Special Olympics, Lieutenant Governor’s Awards — none of these events are coming to St. Albert because of what a consultant recommended. The 150th anniversary undoubtedly was a factor with some, however the main reason the city will host these and other events is because local leaders — be it council or community groups like the curling club — had the vision and determination to make St. Albert shine.
These events will show the nation and remind ourselves that St. Albert is not only worthy of hosting high-profile events, but that we’re more than capable of throwing one heck of a party. St. Albert proved itself in the past with events like the 1994 Alberta Winter Games, yet for some reason our will to host such events has not been strong until just recently. It shouldn’t take a hosting strategy to spark the will to come together as a community, nor should it only happen every quarter-century. St. Albert has plenty to offer and celebrate. Let’s shine on together.
