Unity seen as Games legacy

Hopes have been expressed that the Alberta 55-Plus Summer Games will be a springboard to more events involving Barrhead and Westlock.

Barrhead Mayor Brian Schulz said the July 25-28 Games had helped unify local communities.

“I thought the Games were great,” he said. “We have had a fabulous precedent-setting event which I hope will continue.”

Barrhead reeve Bill Lee said the Games had exceeded expectations and shown what could be achieved when Barrhead and Westlock pulled together.

“I really hope we do more things together,” he said. “When we combine our resources it is wonderful what can be done. I am very excited thinking about what will be next.”

“I knew we would do okay for the Games,” he added. “I did not know it would be so fantastic. Many people have said it was the ‘best Games ever.’ I think it was because we were just ourselves and we do what we do with a full heart.”

Meanwhile, business people have applauded the way Barrhead stepped up to the plate for the Games, looking its absolute best for the huge influx of participants and their families.

“We got to show the town to a bunch of visitors, who will hopefully come back,” said Dave Sawatzky, vice-chairman of the Barrhead &District Chamber of Commerce.

“We have been getting lots of positive feedback from the volunteers. They say visitors found Barrhead to be very friendly.”

Chamber volunteer Susan Sawatzky, who helped organize a Browsing Barrhead campaign to showcase the community during the Games, said 30-minute bus tours around the area on Saturday and Sunday had proved popular.

“We had more than 250 people go on the buses,” she said.

She added that some businesses had opened on Sunday, but the cool weather had deterred bus passengers from disembarking to visit shops.

The Games, co-hosted by Westlock and Barrhead, saw competitions in the town of Barrhead and Barrhead County, Westlock, and the village of Clyde. Activities included athletics, golf, cycling, horseshoes, tennis, swimming, slo-pitch, pool, floor curling, floor shuffleboard, a 5 km walk/run, bocce, contract bridge, cribbage and military whist.

Schulz said the Games produced wonderfully inspiring stories.

He gave the examples of 100-year-old javelin thrower Florence Storch, the oldest participant in the Games, and 86-year-old Margrit de Graff, who cycled in the 65-plus categories and won two bronze medals.

“These are wonderful stories that everyone will always remember,” he said.

Schulz also doffed his hat to the hundreds of volunteers, who played a huge part in the success of the Games.

“The volunteers almost provided the foundation upon which the participants could excel,” he said.

Schulz said every aspect of the Games, from the opening to the closing ceremonies, had been done extremely well.

“My favourite event was the actual volunteer wrap-up where we all got a chance to say thank you to the volunteers,” he said.

“As I looked out at that sea of yellowish green sweaters which we all wore as volunteers all I saw was a oneness. I didn’t see individuals or communities.

“I saw a unity of people that made me hope that all our communities will bind together to create many more occasions like this.”

Lee said the success of the Games was a tribute to Barrhead, Westlock and rural Alberta.

He believed those who did not participate would be encouraged to get involved in future events.

“The Games are the talk of the town,” he added.

Lee said the event had been a wonderful investment for the community. He pointed out how Barrhead had managed to attract a high-profile act like Trooper during the lead-up to the Games.

The Canadian rockers performed a Games fundraising concert at the Agrena in May.

Sue Sawatzky said one of the features of the Browsing Barrhead venture was a draw for $500, open to anyone who visited 10 businesses and got a special passport stamped.

The winner was a man from Claresholm, who received his cash prize during Sunday’s closing ceremony at the Agrena.

Chair of the Games committee St. Pierre has described the event as a tremendous success. He too paid tribute to the 600 volunteers who had answered the call for help.

“Wow” is the general sentiment he heard from almost everyone he spoke to during the Games — participants, volunteers, ambassadors, directors and members of hosting committees for upcoming Games.

St. Pierre said the co-operation was so seamless, he doesn’t view the towns and counties of Westlock and Barrhead to be separate entities — to him, the only communities involved were Westlock, Barrhead and Clyde.