For a small Prairie city, it's quite something to host two major sporting events just months apart.
That is the challenge facing Estevan after the Bruins last week secured the right to host the Western Canada Cup in 2016.
Playing host to the WCC in April and the Saskatchewan Summer Games in July will be a formidable test for the city, its corporate community and its volunteer base.
There is no reason, however, to believe the challenge won't be met.
The right people are in place on both fronts. The people involved with the Summer Games preparations are working their tails off on a number of fronts. They are the right people to tap into the community, just as the WCC co-chairs are the right people to tap into the business community.
Estevan has a strong sense of volunteerism and many people have already committed to volunteer for the Summer Games. Roughly 1,700 volunteers will be needed for that event. The two committees are planning to share the same volunteer base, so the WCC will be a dry run of sorts for those people.
Meanwhile, no one needs to be told about the generosity of Estevan's corporate community. They have stepped up time and time again, and the proof is all over the city, from Affinity Place to the Hearthstone campaign to the names adorning the golf club and curling club, and more.
The combined budgets for the Western Canada Cup and Summer Games will be in the neighbourhood of $2.75 million. It's a hefty amount, but local businesses have responded in the case of the Summer Games and surely the same will hold true for the WCC.
These are two marquee events that will showcase Estevan and its sporting scene both provincially and across Western Canada. It's a stiff challenge, but the payoff, both literally and figuratively, is worth the work.
Contact Josh Lewis at 306-634-2654 or sports@estevanmercury.ca. Mention the Argos at your own risk.
