Members of the Woodlawn Athletic Park committee are urging the public to attend an important meeting next month regarding a potential bid for the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games.
The meeting, which will be held April 18 at 7 p.m. at the Days Inn Taylorton Room, is intended to gauge local interest in bidding on the Games.
Committee member Brian Smith has been researching the Games and what would be required to host the event.
"(The meeting will) explain a little bit about the bid process and the timeline of what's going to follow," said Smith. "We're going to discuss what the roles and responsibilities of a host community are, and also probably a rough structure of how we're going to have to organize ourselves if we're selected. We want to talk about the facilities that we have in the area that are already existing, as well as what facilities or venues do we think we need to renovate, upgrade or build brand new."
Smith said he's looking for representatives from the City of Estevan, the leisure centre, Woodlawn Regional Park, the Estevan Exhibition Association, the Estevan Chamber of Commerce, the South East Cornerstone School Division and local sports organizations.
"You need them on board at the early stages," said Smith.
Fellow committee member Brian Senchuk said he believes Estevan can pull it off. The city last hosted the Saskatchewan Games in 1980.
"Once we get that gumption to go forward, I think that's all we need. I think that's the biggest challenge we have right now. Do we have the support to make the bid? I think once we know that, our bid will be superb. I think we have the desire and the people in place that are going to motivate the rest of the people. That initial meeting, by far, is the crucial step here. We're at that part now. It's either go or stop," said Senchuk.
Roughly 1,500-2,000 volunteers are needed to host the event.
Smith said the City must play a key role in getting the effort off the ground.
"The bid's going to be sent to them and they'll have to say yes, we're going to have the funding available and support from the Chamber of Commerce and all the businesses and people of this city to put this thing on. They're going to have to sort of take the lead at the beginning and after that the organization will have (its own people in place)."
Senchuk said the goal at the meeting will be to put together a committee to go forward and complete the bid proposal.
Smith noted there will be a "fairly tight timeline" to submit bids and that the Saskatchewan Games Council will likely award the Games by the end of 2013.
