By Troy Gillard (Twitter: @Troy_Gillard)

So far, so good at 2019 Games: CEO

Feb 24, 2019 | 5:22 PM

Red Deer is getting a ‘thumbs up’ for its work during week one of the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

David Patterson, President and CEO of the Canada Games Council is learning what many already knew, that Red Deer and central Alberta are second to none when it comes to volunteer spirit.

“The volunteers have been just unbelievable,” he remarked Saturday. “The way this community has come together, and the way it has rallied behind these Games, is inspiring, really.

“I was down at the festival site Friday night and as I walked in a volunteer was out doing access control, it was 35 below, and I stopped to say thank you. She said ‘no, no thank you.’ She was just grateful for the chance to stand outside when it’s 35 below and help people out. We’ve seen that all over the place over this last week.”

The one thing organizers can’t control, obviously, is the Arctic-like weather that has gripped the city since the Games got underway (and with an extreme cold warning in place, again, week two likely won’t be much better). But while some festival events have been cancelled, Patterson says the overall effect on competition has been minimal.

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“We had plans in place. These are winter sports and winter athletes; this is the range they work within. So they are comfortable with it but we still make sure it’s safe for them to compete.”

As the athletes have done their part, Patterson says facility operators have been stars in their own right making sure things are in tip top shape.

“They’ve done a great job right from the start – we built a great stage, then we get off that stage and the athletes get on and magic happens – and they’ve done a great job of building a great stage.”

“(At Canyon) a wonderful slopestyle course, and big air, people can’t stop talking about it. At River Bend, the biathlon course is really top notch, a great experience for those athletes. And then at Great Chief (Setters Place), we knew that not only would it be great during the Games, but the next Jeremy Wotherspoon is coming out of there at some point. Can’t wait to see that, too.”

Crowd sizes were good in week one with sell-outs for ringette, table tennis, boxing and wheelchair basketball. Male hockey at the Centrium saw crowds in excess of 2,000 fans for Team Alberta games.

While no medals were awarded Saturday, there was still a flurry of activity behind the scenes as the athletes from week one left town and the week two athletes rolled in.

“It’s a quiet day in the venues, but certainly for those working in the (Athletes’) Village welcoming a whole new batch of athletes and helping them on their way, it’s really busy there,” explained Patterson. “Also incredible work done by our volunteers starting at midnight, and right through the night, helping (the first week’s) athletes get out and have a great experience on their last day.”

Week two of the 2019 Canada Winter Games got underway Sunday with the opening rounds of competition in curling, squash and female hockey. Badminton, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, judo, archery, snowboarding and figure skating are also on tap this week.