Okotoks and Black Diamond councils are moving ahead with their regional bid for the Alberta Summer Games after receiving support from the Province on postponing the event by one year.
In May and June, letters were sent to Leela Aheer, Alberta's minister of culture, multiculturalism, and status of women minister, requesting the 2022 Alberta Summer Games be postponed to 2023 in light of COVID-19. The 2020 Games, which were to be held in Lethbridge, were rescheduled for 2021.
The Towns of Black Diamond and Okotoks submitted a bid to host the Games in 2019, but the announcement of the host community for 2022 was delayed due to the pandemic.
Okotoks community services director Susan Laurin said it’s good news for the region to have an additional year to plan and fundraise given the current economic climate.
“Moving the Games back to 2023 allows for a longer period to fundraise and for a lot of the businesses to get back on their feet,” she said.
In addition, the Towns have worked with the Province and the Alberta Summer Games host committee to reduce the budget for the Games, which has now been cut by $700,000 from $2.4 million to $1.7 million.
A reduction in expenditures could result in less fundraising being required, and fewer dollars coming out of the Town of Okotoks coffers, she said.
“For example, we can reduce those half and half or we could reduce the amount of fundraising more and only require $200,000 to $250,000 in fundraising and the Town would pick up the rest,” said Laurin.
There has been no news on the level of financial commitment from the Province, as its budget has not been determined, she said.
Fundraising would come from various sources, including casinos. The Province sets aside specific slots in its schedule of charitable organizations who receive casino funds for host committees of the Alberta Summer Games.
With three years to plan, it would be possible for the committee to benefit from two or three casinos, which would be one of the busier locations in the city rather than Century Casino, which is typically where rural non-profit groups are assigned, she said.
“It’s not the usual process of becoming a new not-for-profit where you have to wait a year and a half to become a not-for-profit,” said Laurin. “That process was done within two months and then we would be slotted in automatically for wherever those slots are.”
Fundraising would also come from local businesses, which she said would be more supportive if there is less onus on them to raise the full $700,000 that was originally proposed. Lowering the overall budget will help keep that requirement down, she said.
“They were in support of the Games if the amount of fundraising was reduced, because they were concerned about the requirements,” said Laurin.
Continuing with the Alberta Summer Games bid for 2023 was supported by the majority of Okotoks council, except Coun. Florence Christophers and Coun. Tanya Thorn.
“This is a significant financial commitment,” said Thorn. “Yes, it’s coming out of our reserves, but I think with the events in the last eight months our reserve dollars are better held for impacts to our actual, true local community, whether that be social supports, supports to ensure we’ve still got recreation in our community, financial supports, whatever that might be.
“I do not feel this is a prudent decision.”
She also expressed concern about approving an event that is more than two years away, and therefore making a decision on behalf of a future council.
Christophers said she was hesitant to approve the bid for the Games without knowing the full economic impact of COVID-19, which could change the face of the Alberta Summer Games and the provincial funding for them.
In addition, she said the Games may bring some people to town but it’s for a short period of time and not necessarily true economic development.
“It’s a boom to businesses that exist, in certain sectors, but in terms of actual regional economic development, it’s modest, it’s a bump,” said Christophers. “I just think the funds we may have to truly put towards economic development should not be placed here, and I think we’re already concerned about the amount of money we’re putting into reserves falling short of what we’re hoping for and what we need.”
Coun. Ray Watrin disagreed, stating the event would be a great thing for the Town and the region.
He said postponing to 2023 gives everyone plenty of time to work on plans and fundraising, adding the community will be ready to back the Games when it comes time.
“During these times of COVID, we keep saying we’re all in this together and we’re going to come out better in the end, when it’s all over,” said Watrin. “This is a time for us to kind of buckle down and get in there and work this through.
“It’s going to be great for the Town of Okotoks and Black Diamond, and we’re going to make it happen. You need to be positive about this.”
