Provincial funding of $75K to help feed 2,000 athletes at Alberta Summer Games in Strathcona County

Organizers say everything is falling into place for the Alberta Summer Games in Strathcona County this summer.

Strathcona County has secured tens of thousands of dollars from the provincial government to help feed the almost 2,000 athletes participating in this July’s Alberta Summer Games.

John Dance, the board chair for the games slated to be held July 16-19 at venues across the county east of Edmonton, said the $75,000 the Alberta government is giving organizers through its Community Initiatives Program is “an important piece of the Games’ budget.”

“Just shy of about 20,000 meals have to be provided, so obviously it comes with a pretty significant cost,” Dance told media on Friday at a media availability. “These are good, healthy, nutritional meals and large quantities in many cases, so it’s a big help for that specific purpose.”

Dance said volunteer recruitment to help stage the 13 sports for athletes for ages 11-16 from eight zones at several venues across the county -- including Millennium Place, Centennial Park, the Strathcona Athletic Park and the Druids Rugby Club in Sherwood Park, as well as sites in Ardrossan (lacrosse), Fort Saskatchewan (mountain biking) and Edmonton (canoe/kayak) -- will start in the next week and that organizers are seeking sponsors.

Other sports competitions being held at this year’s Games include athletics, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and tennis.

Strathcona has held Alberta Games before, a winter competition in 2000 and a Summer Games in 1987. The county also hosted the Western Canada Summer Games in 2007.

The province is contributing more than $900,000 overall to help the county host this year’s Games.

Nate Glubish, one of Strathcona County’s two MLAs, said “it’s always fun to celebrate excellence and seeing Alberta’s best athletes coming out to compete and show what they’re made of.”

“I’s going to be a lot of great entertainment, a lot of great energy and excitement,” Glubish told media. “It should be fun for families from across Strathcona County to come and watch.”

The summer and winter games are typically held every two-to-three years. The Lakeland region, including Bonnyville, Cold Lake and other communities, hosted this month’s Alberta Winter Games. Okotoks and Diamond Valley south of Calgary hosted the last version of the Summer Games in 2023.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Evan Klippenstein