Town of Taber to begin bidding process for 2025 Southern Alberta Summer Games

By Cal Braid
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

At the Aug. 19 regular meeting of town council, Recreation Manager Brian Martin presented the details of Taber’s history – and potential future – with the Southern Alberta Summer Games. 

Martin and the administration asked council for the go-ahead to complete the bid process for the 2025 Games to be hosted by Taber. They also requested council’s permission to approach the M.D. of Taber as a co-host of the Games and come back to council at a future date for a funding request if the bid for the 2025 Games is successful.

Taber hosted the SASG in 2005, 2008, 2013, and 2018. The town’s past success as host was enough to indicate that it could do so again. The Games host about 2,000 athletes, ranging in age from as young as five to as old as are physically capable. Even participants in their eighties may compete in some events. This year, the Town of Coaldale was the host, but had some of the events jointly held in other Southern Alberta communities. Host communities have submitted letters of intent to host for the 2026-27 seasons. Coaldale received a grant in the amount of $8,000 and $2 per participant of funding coming from SARA (Southern Alberta Recreation Association) as part of the hosting agreement, but the grant is not consistent from year to year. When Taber hosted in 2018, the expenditures totaled approximately $110,000 including donations and sponsors.

 The agenda noted a number of considerations to address if the Town were to pursue hosting the 2025 summer Games:

-initial research suggests an estimated budget of $180,000, which would not include any facility upgrades.

-several facilities like the track, jumping areas, beach, and gymnasium possibly do not meet the games standards for playability. Improvements could cost between $30,000 and $50,000.

-funds to purchase any required sports equipment would be needed. Specific examples were listed, but without an estimate.

-extra staffing would be required (administration, operational).

-the Town would require at least one full time staffer to assume the role of coordinator.

-the number of volunteers required to run a successful summer games event is 200-250. Obtaining event volunteers has been a struggle in recent years.

-hosting in the past has relied heavily on funds through sponsorships, however the Town’s recent experience of acquiring sponsorship has been less successful with annual events to date.

The Games in Coaldale had 180 volunteers, and their organizers recommended that 200-250 volunteers would have been ideal. Taber’s administration told the council it would be interested in approaching the MD of Taber to ask for collaboration and a financial commitment with hosting the 2025 ASG. The Town of Bow Island has also shown interest in hosting the 2025 games and has contemplated working on a potential collaboration with another community to work on shared games.

 The event is not budgeted for, and between the cost to host and make facility upgrades, the price could rise as high as $230,000 according to the estimates.

 Councillors Remfert and Sorensen were pro-summer games and Councillors Firth and Bekkering were not, primarily due to cost. Coun. McLean leaned towards dismissing the bid as well. To paraphrase Bekkering, Bow Island’s interest in hosting the games could allow Taber to avoid taking on the bulk of the event but assist them as a local partner. He said that Taber has hosted the games four times in 16 years, which was more than enough in his mind. Firth cited the numerous community organizations that already exist yet struggle to find volunteers.

 Mayor Prokop said, “I’m very much in favour of supporting the motion. I don’t think you can ever showcase your community enough if you get a chance to do that, particularly when it’s been on hold for five years.”

 Remfert put forward a motion to complete the bid for the games and ask the MD to partner with Taber. The motion was carried on the strength of a four to three split vote.