International games may come to Strathmore
Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter
Strathmore, Chestermere and Calgary have begun working to try to bring the 2013 International Children’s Winter Games, ICG, to the area. Mayor Steve Grajczyk has been in touch with committee members from the ICG since attending the winter games in Kelowna in January about possibly bringing the games here in 2013.
“I’m very excited,” said Grajczyk.
“It’s super for Strathmore, it’ll put us on the map.”
The ICG is similar to Olympics for kids, and brings competitors from all over the world to the host country.
Richard Smith, Secretary General for the ICG, was in Strathmore on May 5 to see what Strathmore and the Calgary area have to offer.
“The window we have at the moment is 2013, since we had our games 2011 in Kelowna, Canada. We were looking at another city, they had to postpone, they said that we can’t do it in 2013. So they’re doing it 2015 and that would be Innsbruck, Austria,” said Smith.
“This had to be now, and I’m finding that all three mayors that I’ve talked to…these are people saying they would like to help anyway they can.
“The enthusiasm is there. I understand the mayor of Calgary is also 100 per cent behind the games and is very happy to hear that his city has the possibility of doing it.”
The summer games take place every year in a different country, with 75 different countries sending participants. The winter games are held every other year, with 40 to 50 countries participating.
“Everyone seems on board and we’re happy to work together with what we call Team Calgary. That includes our ancillary neighbours of Strathmore, to work together to use your facilities as well,” said Holly Cuncannon with Tourism Calgary.
“It is a huge undertaking, but we do have time on our side. Kelowna did it in under a year so we definitely have more than enough time, that shouldn’t be an issue.”
She said the city is so fortunate that the facilities from the1988 winter Olympics are still being used. Cuncannon said Calgary is an example city for hosting Olympics, not only for the legacy they left behind but also for the buildings.
They plan to use the existing infrastructure so no new buildings will be needed.
The idea is to have Calgary be the hub, hosting accommodations and dinner for the VIP’s and participants. Strathmore will likely host the girls hockey, and possibly a few other sports.
Smith said the goal of the International Children’s Games is using sports to achieve cultural interaction, and if you decentralize it then there is no interaction. He said there have been lifelong lasting friendships coming out of games, and Olympic Medal winners. While it is yet to be officially determined that the three communities will join together to bring the ICG here, Smith feels fairly confident it will happen.
“At the moment there are no other candidates. I sincerely believe that if nothing major happens in the next two or three months, there is no reason the games can not come here,” said Smith.
“That is my feeling at the moment. I’m positively standing right behind mayors from these three cities…but again I’m only one person from the entire committee.”
The committee is made up of 19 people from 12 different countries. If the Calgary area is successful, it will be only the second time Canada has held the ICG winter games. The first time was this past January in Kelowna. The summer games have been previously held in Hamilton, Ont.