By the time you read this editorial, the Saskatchewan Summer Games will be nearing its completion.
The efforts of committee members, volunteers, athletes, coaches and officials will have come to fruition. This year’s Games were the largest in Saskatchewan’s history, and it’s hard to believe there have been many Games better than this.
Frankly, the next few weeks in Estevan might feel like a letdown. A lot of people will likely go on holidays, as they weren’t going to leave the city during the Games, and there were a lot of people with commitments to the Games, so they couldn’t leave until the Games were finished.
There will still be a lot happening in the city in August, but after having such a big event that brought in so many people, local residents can be forgiven for asking what’s next in the Energy City.
Not only have we enjoyed great athletic competitions and events, but there have been great cultural activities throughout the week. And while it wasn’t tied in with the Games, it was still cool to have a visit from the world-famous Snowbirds military aerobatics squadron the same week of the Games
Thousands of people were attending events in and around Estevan on July 25.
We have proven that we can host virtually anything in Estevan. There aren’t many events that will attract nearly 2,000 athletes and several thousand more visitors. But there are a lot of great options for events.
Estevan has thrived in the past when hosting marquee baseball, softball, swimming, golf and archery events, among others. Hopefully this city will remain a viable attraction for those sports.
It appears that top-notch track and field events could be in this city’s future, too. While the new track has hosted a few events since it opened last summer, none of them have been to the degree of the Summer Games. If Estevan can host an event like the Games, with a frantic schedule over the course of three days, then it should be able to host other provincial events.
And, of course, the marquee events need not be limited to summer. While we don’t have the capabilities to host the Winter Games, since we don’t have the amenities for alpine events, Affinity Place has shown its capabilities for hosting top winter sporting events.
For years, the common refrain was there’s nothing to do in Estevan. Of course, it is an asinine statement. There’s always lots to do in Estevan.
But there likely has never been a week in which there was more to do in the Energy City, thanks to all that was available for sports, culture and big events.
We look forward to more big events coming here in the future, regardless of the season.
It’s just a matter of when, and how big it will be.
