By Curtis Galbraith

Arctic Winter Games Selection Committee visiting our area today

Jan 14, 2019 | 4:30 AM

Today is a big day in Grande Prairie’s efforts to land the 2022 Arctic Winter Games.
 
The International Committee selection team will be touring the city and the surrounding area today.
 
Grande Prairie is competing against Fort McMurray for the right to host the Games.
 
Bid Committee member Francois Fournier says the local co-chairs want local people to give the International Committee as many reasons as possible to pick Grande Prairie.
 
“It’s going to be a real tough battle. I mean, Fort McMurray has got some outstanding facilities as well. The facilities on both sides are outstanding. It’s just, what are the other elements?”
 
Fournier says tour stops will include the dinosaur museum, Crosslink County Sportsplex, Community Knowledge Campus, and the Montrose Cultural Centre. He adds today will be about showing what the Games experience will be like for participants, community support, and what the host does to make the Games successful.
 
“They know a lot of the facilities already.  So then it was what are we doing that is unique in this planning for 2022 that they need to see? What are the ways and means we can demonstrate the things that they are looking for, games experience, community involvement, coming together?” 
 
He adds he is excited about a Games Village idea for the Community Knowledge Campus. 
 
“For a large part of it, they (participants) don’t have to put a coat on. They can just go and watch their teammates play, they can go and participate in their own recreational activities with some outstanding facilities. I think the Currie Museum is even looking at having a cast-building centre there, right in the Games Village, where they can make casts of fossils and take that home with them.”
 
Fournier says the Knowledge Campus Games Village would serve as a place to eat, sleep, and compete, plus provide mission offices and a clinic.
 
The Eastlink Centre will be hosting an event where the community can show its support between 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. today.