The countdown has started: the games are just 30 days away.
How quickly – and how stealthily – they have crept up on us. For so long they seemed to be too distant to care much about; they were something occurring in a year or two, something around the corner.
Well, no more. The Alberta 55-plus Summer Games start on Thursday, July 25, and will end on Sunday, July 28 – four days that promise to be among the most spectacular in Barrhead and Westlock’s living memory. And certainly among the more important, providing a gilt-edged opportunity to showcase the community and perhaps encourage people to settle here.
Are we ready? In terms of preparation, the answer must be yes. The games committee has been working at full throttle, ensuring each portfolio is up to speed, fully aware of its responsibilities.
The portfolios range from facilities, safety, communications and transport to promotions, food, accommodations and volunteers.
It is a mammoth job of planning, but Gerry St. Pierre and his team seem more than capable of handling it, having carefully laid the foundations for success over the last 12 months and more.
Elsewhere, Town parks department staff have been out and about, sprucing up Barrhead so it looks its sparkling best for the big four days. Grass is being mown, flowers planted, and road markings repainted.
So yes, Barrhead is as ready as can reasonably be expected at this stage. It has kept pace with the clock that seems to be accelerating every day.
And yet are people’s hearts and minds ready for such a prestigious sporting and cultural event?
Walk down Main Street and it’s hard to believe the town is set to host 1,200 athletes, accompanied by 400 guests. There are a few posters, but they tend to blend with the others.
To a large extent this is explained by the number of marquee events in Barrhead through the year. Already this month we have had the Street Festival, Seniors Week, 4-H Achievement Day, FLY’s MusiXtravaganza, and the inaugural Senior Rodeo. Next on the calendar is Friday’s graduation at Barrhead Composite High School.
Once graduation and Canada Day are behind us, maybe we can focus on the year’s blue ribbon event and begin creating a buzz about four days in July. Maybe our business community can help the cause with creative displays.
Let the games fever begin!
