When many think of April, they think of spring, flowers, Easter eggs and perhaps the approaching of some summer sports.
Winter sports are all but done in the Battlefords by this time, but in April 2012 the plan was to be the host community for the Battleford Agency Tribal Chiefs Saskatchewan First Nations Winter Games and keep the winter sports going for a few weeks longer. That plan, which had been in motion for nearly a year according to Eugene Arcand, Saskatchewan First Nations Winter Games chair, has changed due to facilities 小蓝视频 unavailable or unable to confirm their completion.
Arcand said for the First Nations Winter Games an estimated 3,500 athletes partake and 177 games are played on arena ice surfaces for broomball and hockey.
"As the host of the games we are responsible to provide certainty to teams and visitors," said Arcand. "We cannot provide that guarantee under the current circumstances."
The City of North Battleford is aware of the economic impact the games would have had on the Battlefords, but understands guarantees needed to be made and the City was not in a position to make those promises with some of the facilities needed. The committee spends nearly $1 million on the event and on the flip side Arcand said an economic impact of $6 million could hit the host community's business district.
"We are disappointed, but we do understand they needed a certain number of ice surfaces and that need couldn't be met," said Jim Toye, North Battleford city manager.
Toye explained the Civic Centre could be confirmed, but the Don Ross and AgriPlex were already booked for major events during that time, which couldn't be bumped. Toye also mentioned other municipalities were asked to open their arena doors for the games and said it would be difficult to keep the ice operating into April.
Along with the hockey arenas, the CUPlex curling ice was not guaranteed to be operating by that time. Toye said the curling rink is earmarked for completion March 2012, but if there were any delays with the construction they wouldn't be able to host the First Nations Winter Games curling events that is scheduled for April 8 to 14.
Arcand noted after a review of the facilities available they were not adequate for the 2012 Winter Games, but didn't rule out the possibility of the event someday 小蓝视频 hosted in the Battlefords.
"The reality of the situation is that it won't work right now," said Arcand adding the mayor and councillors were great to work with and supportive in the process to plan the winter games first in the Battlefords, and understood the decision to move the games to Saskatoon.
