The City of North Battleford is looking into a possible bid for hosting the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games.
A formal bid is still a long way off and hosting the event would be a major undertaking, but the city has passed a resolution that a letter of support expressing community interest in bidding to host the 2016 games be forwarded to the Saskatchewan Games Council.
This is just the preliminary step towards the city launching a bid for the games. Letters of support from all interested communities must be sent to the games council by May 24, after which time communities will be provided a bid package by the first week of June.
According to correspondence from the Saskatchewan Games Council, that will include a core sport list and minimum athlete service requirements, as well as a list of available facilities, a proposed operating committee structure and letters of support from various partners in the community.
North Battleford last hosted the Sask. Summer Games in 1984. The running track at the North Battleford Comprehensive High School is a legacy from that event.
The prospect of hosting the games in 2016 is one that intrigues Mayor Ian Hamilton.
"I think it's a very exciting opportunity for the city," said Hamilton.
Hamilton told reporters Monday he thought hosting the games would be a good opportunity to re-introduce the city to the larger province.
However, he acknowledged hosting the games would be a huge endeavour requiring plenty of volunteers.
"We certainly have to investigate it in depth and do our due diligence as to how we could possibly host the summer games," Hamilton said.
