Busy year ahead for Western Canada Summer Games planning

With the calendar having flipped to 2019, the coming weeks will feature a number of Western Canada Summer Games announcements and unveiled plans.

Councillor Pat Friesen, who sits as the City Representative on the Games planning team, provided a Western Canada Summer Games update during the December 3 Swift Current City Council meeting.

A major initiative is being unveiled later this month, as there is a need for over 2,000 volunteers to help make the 16 sport games on August 9 to 18 a success.

“Recruitment is going to begin in full force in January, and they have a launch event planned for January 21. So watch for that. There will be lots of shifts and all kinds of different volunteer areas that people can involved in,” Friesen told council.

The Games will also be sending a volunteer recruitment team to trade shows and events in Swift Current to help get people involved.

In the area of Culture Ceremonies and Protocol, contact has been made with Juno winner and Order of Canada member Tom Jackson to write and record the Games’ theme song which will be performed at the opening ceremonies in August.

The Cultural Festival program, the Fire and Light Festival, will be four themed evenings of entertainment.

The winner of the Medal Design Contest will be announced shortly. The competition ran from September 11 to October 9, with designers submitting entries which would reflect the unique nature, theme, culture and spirit of the 2019 Games and the diversity of the Southwest.

Friesen also announced that a Torch Relay Route has been outlined, and a torch bearer program is in development.

Their official web store was launched back on November 1, and www.gamesgear.ca has all the officially licensed 2019 Western Canada Summer Games souvenirs. Games clothing is also available at the Swift Current Museum.

The Games are forecast to have a $2 million economic spin-off for Swift Current and area. This spin off will reach into retail, service, and accommodation businesses, as well as to organizations throughout the Southwest.