Alberta 55-Plus Summer Games directors got a look at the venues for the events taking place in Westlock and Clyde.
Prior to the July 9 board meeting, 15 board members hopped on a school bus to drive around Westlock and out to Clyde. More than 1,000 athletes from across Alberta will descend on Westlock and Barrhead from July 25-28 for the Alberta 55 Plus Summer Games.
“Some people in the group were not familiar with the venues,” explained Games venue chair Chuck Keller. “This gives them insight into what happens and helps them visualize where things are.”
Games chair Gerry St. Pierre said the tour allowed board members to know what is going on and know how and where to direct people if necessary.
Specifically, he said it was good for the director in charge of medals to see the venues and start thinking about how to best get exposure for the medal presentations. The tour started at the Westlock Rotary Spirit Centre, and made its way through the parking lot past the Ag Society track, Keller Field and the horseshoe pits, before moving on to 99 Street to look at the St. Mary School yard, where the bocce courts will be located.
Keller directed the tour, and spoke about what work still needs to be done to have all the venues up and running. In particular, he said the Games require 12 horseshoe pits; there are only four in Westlock, so eight mobile pits are going to be installed.
As for the bocce courts, he said four will be constructed in the school yard. Several bleachers will be set up surrounding the courts, and the school will remain open for washroom and cafeteria access.
The next stop was the Westlock Golden Age Drop-in centre, to see where the contract bridge event will be held.
Popping into Westlock Aquatic Centre and Westlock and District Community Hall gave directors the chance to see where the swimming events and dinners will take place.
After a drive-by of Westlock Elementary School, where the floor curling will take place, the bus headed out to the Village of Clyde to see where half of the slo-pitch tournament will run. Barrhead will host some slo-pitch games also.
Keller explained two of the village’s ball diamonds will be used for games, while the third will be a spare available for practising.
Since last week’s tour only visited Westlock area sites, a second tour is planned for July 16 in Barrhead in advance of the board meeting on that day.
