By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

2019 Canada Games and Red Deer social agencies working hand in hand

Oct 19, 2018 | 9:31 AM

There’s no disputing that Red Deer, a city of 100,000 with so much going for it, is facing a number of difficult challenges.

No other community in Alberta has a higher rate of deaths from opioid overdoses, and homelessness continues to be something the city grapples with.

Meanwhile, city council is begging the province to fund hospital expansion and shelter space, and attempting to maneuver the opioid crisis with a temporary overdose prevention site and potentially permanent supervised consumption services.

These and other issues have some citizens questioning the amount of money and resources being put into hosting the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

As it turns out, those at the helm of some of Red Deer’s most visible social agencies believe the Games will do good for the community, and maybe even help with social and safety issues.

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“We get so mired in the muck, especially those of us that are in it every day,” says Kath Hoffman, Executive Director at Safe Harbour. “We’re always crying for money and resources, then we have something like the Games come along and certainly it can monopolize the fundraising. That’s real. I have come to a place, though, where I believe this community has to celebrate. I’m aching for a celebration.”

Will people living on the street be celebrating? Hoffman admits they probably won’t, but then asks when do we ever celebrate alongside our city’s most vulnerable?

“Sports, arts and culture are all integral parts of a community. Although there definitely is a crisis in our community, other aspects of culture still need to go on,” says Byron Bradley, Executive Director at The Mustard Seed Red Deer.

“As a community, we need to take a balanced approach and ensure we think about our most vulnerable, the street-involved and the many who are maybe a paycheque away from being homeless. Thinking big picture, the sustainability of the community with large events is crucial.”

Safe Harbour and The Mustard Seed stand to benefit directly from the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

The host society has committed to providing The Mustard Seed with surplus food from the athletes’ village, and will also allow their hours of operation to be extended for a short time.

Safe Harbour is working on creating unique merchandise to fundraise with during Games-time events.

“The bottom line is every city has challenges. Olympic Games that have been held in Calgary and Vancouver have demonstrated that when you elevate the community’s visibility and engagement, whether it be through volunteering, participating or sponsoring, you heighten their awareness of the importance of community,” says 2019 Canada Winter Games CEO Scott Robinson. “With that, you bring a tremendous opportunity to help solve some of the challenges that we have.”

Robinson says Vancouver 2010 CEO John Furlong, who spoke in Red Deer last month, nailed it when he talked about how that city has been much better off since it welcomed the world.

“They have resources and businesses that want to move there. I believe strongly that Red Deer will be no different.”

Canada Games Council President and CEO Dave Patterson feels the same way.

“Any time we can bring the community together and get an entire community on the same page, pulling the same direction, that is a positive development for all kinds of elements of the community,” he says. “We’ve seen it in the past where a Canada Games has been a catalyst for incredible outcomes that extend way beyond the Games and beyond sport.”

In addition to new and improved venues and the new QE II/Gaetz Ave. Interchange, the 2019 Canada Winter Games are expected to have an economic spin-off of more than $130 million for Red Deer.

The Games run from February 23 to March 3.