Airdrie residents interested in sports are encouraged to volunteer for the 2014 Alberta Summer Games bid committee.
The committee will prepare a bid package for the Dec. 31 deadline and may be required to host a facilities tour for a selection committee from the Alberta Sport, Recreation, and Parks & Wildlife Foundation in March or April.
“We are looking for volunteers to put a bid package together, “ said Kim Harris, community developer with the City of Airdrie.
“You don’t have to have experience, just an interest in sports and be motivated to do something great for your community. We are looking to present Airdrie in a positive light.”
Former mayor Linda Bruce is on the 2014 Alberta Summer Games bid committee and she said although it will be a lot of work, it will also be “a ton of fun.”
“It’s a lot of fun to work on a big project with a goal that is really important in the community,” she said.
“You watch the seed of an idea germinate into a proposal.”
Bruce was also a member of the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games bid committee, which submitted its bid in April. The Games were awarded to the Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) region in June.
“Although we didn’t get the Games, we learned so much about the bid process and we can take what we learned and apply it to this bid and make it even better.”
The City of Airdrie recognizes the benefits of hosting sporting events within the community, having previously hosted the 2009 Alberta 55 Plus Summer Games, Harris added.
“This is a huge opportunity,” she said. “This is going to strengthen our community.”
Bruce said Airdrie is a strong sports city with passionate volunteers.
“It is about passion and belief in the community,” she said.
“There are so many people who truly love the idea of hosting a big event in our community. It is lots of fun and very rewarding.”
The 2014 Games involve hosting 3,000 athletes, coaches, officials and 3,000 volunteers for 18 to 20 sporting events as well as an arts and cultural component.
The economic spin-off from the visiting athletes and their families could be huge, said Harris, and the athlete development is invaluable.
“It is developing young athletes particularly in sports at a grassroots level,” she said.
Harris said Airdrie is a perfect candidate to host the Games because the city has excellent facilities including Genesis Place, a new track, Chinook Winds Park and great soccer fields.
“We have everything we would need,” she said.
Key factors in a successful bid for the 2014 Alberta Summer Games include creating an inviting atmosphere with a focus on the Athlete’s Village, existing facilities and venues, accommodation, food services and partnerships with sporting groups and sponsors, she added.
Volunteers interested in becoming a member of the 2014 Alberta Summer Games bid committee can contact Harris, before Sept. 1 at 403-948-8800 ext. 8772 or [email protected]
