Sometimes dreams are fanciful notions destined to remain forever in the head.
Sometimes they are grounded in reality, waiting to be realized.
Barrhead’s Northern Lights Snowmobile Club has a dream that fits the second definition.
It dreams of holding the Alberta Snowmobile Association Jamboree, a highly prestigious event which would pull in hundreds of snowmobilers from all over the region.
Towns like Whitecourt have staged the jamboree with enormous success, attracting as many as 800 snowmobilers and pumping money into the economy.
So why not Barrhead?
NLSC officials believe Barrhead has the facilities to present such a showpiece event, but question whether a big enough army of volunteers could be mustered.
What is not in question are the potentially huge economic and tourism spin-offs that could result, with visiting sledders requiring food, fuel, supplies and accommodation.
Barrhead would be put on the tourism map. And with proper marketing, could be promoted as an excellent location for winter snowmobilers.
In November 2007, vice-president Gary Belanger delivered a Powerpoint presentation to the now defunct Barrhead Economic Development Committee, outlining the tourism potential of snowmobiling.
In his presentation Belanger spoke of the many natural advantages enjoyed by Barrhead.
“Second only to the Rockies, Barrhead and area offer some of the most scenic areas in Alberta,” he said.
Belanger said with additional financial help, Barr-head could be promoted as an excellent tourism location for winter snowmobilers.
Sadly Belanger’s words went unheeded.
Well that was then. We are now close to 2012 and with the NLSC’s club membership topping 100 there is clearly support on paper for snowmobiling to be reconsidered as an economic opportunity for the town.
In 2013, Barrhead and Westlock are co-hosting the Alberta 55 Plus Summer Games.
Perhaps these games could be viewed as a dress rehearsal for the jamboree, providing a template for meeting a monumental organization challenge.
A major fundraising campaign is already under way to help cover the $1.2 million-plus costs of the games and organizers say an army of 800 volunteers will be required.
If successful the two towns will have shown they are capable of putting on showpiece events.
It should be a platform for further events, bringing honour and prestige to Barrhead.
It would also suffuse the area with a feelgood factor and the confidence that many things once considered unachievable are within reach.
What is required is self-belief, willpower, financing – and, yes, a willingness for the whole community to roll up its collective sleeves and get involved.
Being reliant on seven or eight committed individuals to do all the heavy lifting will not work.
It is time for Barrhead to think big, to set itself a target that is hugely ambitious.
That target is to host the ASA Jamboree. Maybe it can’t be reached in 2012 or even 2013. But what about 2014 on a wave of momentum following the summer games?
All great deeds start with a dream.
The dream is there. The challenge is to realize it.
