The Estevan bid to host the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games is in need of one final ingredient to ensure it's a contender for the event: an updated track-and-field facility.
At a meeting held July 29, the committee was informed that the biggest thing holding the bid back was the track facility.
The meeting, co-chaired by committee members Brian Smith and Josh Leblanc, was called to bring all of the interested parties to one table to explain the process involved in bidding to host the Saskatchewan Summer Games in 2016.
Attending the meeting was the City of Estevan, RM of Estevan, South East Cornerstone School Division, Holy Family Roman Catholic School Division and the Estevan Legion Track and Field Club. They were updated on the work that has been done so far as well as the work that remains in order to have the bid document completed by the Oct. 1 deadline.
Smith presented the locations of the sport venues that will be used if Estevan is successful in obtaining the Games.
"We have phenomenal sport facilities in Estevan and Woodlawn Regional Park," said Smith in a press release issued by the committee. "The only thing that will prevent us from obtaining the Games is the lack of a certified track-and-field complex."
Estevan Bid Committee co-chair Brian Senchuk spoke to the Mercury earlier this week and made it clear the facility will be coming whether Estevan receives the Games this time around or not. If the city doesn't host in 2016, the facility will certainly help attract the sporting event for any future bids.
"We're going to be very aggressive in getting it done," said Senchuk.
To address the lack of track and field facilities, the committee brought in track and field building experts Ken Jacobs of the engineering firm of Genivar and John Konihowski of Jones-Konihowski Enterprises Ltd., who specialize in the installation of tracks.
"We're going to look at three proposals that the track people are going to present to us," added Senchuk.
Jacobs toured the track area outside the Estevan Comprehensive School prior to the meeting and told the committee Estevan has a great location for a multi-purpose track-and-field complex.
The committee is now commissioning a full engineering study, which will provide an estimate of what it would cost to rebuild the track at ECS.
"You need to know exactly what the soil and drainage conditions are prior to building a track. Building a track without proper drainage is not a long-term investment," Jacobs told the committee.
The engineering study will give everyone an idea of what it will cost to complete the facility.
"The key is if we're going to do it, we better do it right," said Senchuk. "It's going to have an indefinite life and an indefinite impact on Estevan, for sure."
There has already been an economic impact assessment looking at the future track and it provided the committee with a very positive outlook.
"It shows great impact for Estevan. That's encouraging. I think, overall, it would be a good thing for Estevan to do," added Senchuk.
The facility at ECS is an aging one, and the committee will be looking at three proposals with varying levels of rubber quality for the track. Senchuk said that is one of the biggest determining factors and noted the parties involved will likely be looking at something in the middle. He added they aren't looking to host the Olympics.
"But we also realize that we're deserving of something that's going to be nice, too."
There are a number of partnerships that will be necessary to complete the project, including connections with municipal government and the school boards. If everything goes as planned, the goal is to have the new facility installed by 2015.
The dimensions for the proposed track will be a little different than what is already at the school, but Senchuk said because the grounds are perfect for their needs, the plan is to lay the new track overtop of the of the existing one.
"That would be the logical place for it," he said, noting that the facility will include more than just the track, with long jump, shot put and all other necessary facilities required to host the Games.
If the Games are awarded, the second phase of the project will include a building onsite as well, which would be used for change rooms.
"With the Summer Games coming into place is where I believe our revenues would come for that," said Senchuk. "We need to get the track in place first and then we'll worry about the rest of it."
The engineering study is to be completed as quickly as possible, with the committee wanting a commitment from all parties by early September. That will give the committee a month to prepare their bid for submission at the start of October.
"The only thing that we are missing is a track-and-field facility, and of course, not having that will prevent us from being awarded the Games. That's an obstacle in our way. If we can deal with that, whether we're awarded the Games this time or next time, for other bids going forward it's not going to be an obstacle."
