Dauphin to host 2020 Manitoba Summer Games

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This article was published 24/01/2018 (2280 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The legacy the 2004 Manitoba Games left in Dauphin can still be seen today and the community hopes to build on it when the multi-sport event returns to the Parkland city in a few years.

Sports Manitoba named Dauphin as the host for the 2020 Manitoba Summer Games on Wednesday morning, and the community is buzzing after the announcement was made at MacKenzie Middle School.

“People are really excited,” said 2020 host society co-chair Carla Wolfenden. “We thought everyone in town knew we were bidding, but after today’s announcement there were a lot of people who were shocked and excited. The kids were excited, so we’re really looking forward to it.”

The week-long event will take place in August and feature sports such as track and field, baseball, basketball, cycling, golf, sailing, soccer, softball, swimming, volleyball and triathlon.

It wasn’t a difficult decision for the Manitoba Games Council to select Dauphin. In fact, it was a unanimous vote to return to the community.

Pat Kirby, Sport Manitoba’s senior Games manager, said the council was impressed that facilities that were built in 2004, like the ball diamonds, soccer pitches and new track at the high school, were all still being used and in good shape. The non-sports facilities, such as an athletes village and food venues, were also impressive, not to mention the knowledge and enthusiasm the community leaders brought to the table.

“When we sat down with them and did their comprehensive bid prior to Christmas, they paraded the various community leaders and champions in front of us,” Kirby said. “And they didn’t just wave at us, they all spoke, and they knew exactly what their role could be or could be asked to be. They were full of ideas and enthusiastic. They were saying we want this and they’re not going after anything else, they want the Manitoba Games.

“We said ‘Wow.’ Sometimes when you do a bid you get people come to the table who wave at you, but not in this case. They were totally engaged and knew what they had to do.”

Wolfenden is part of the legacy. She participated in the Manitoba Games in 1990 and her father, Jim Steiner, co-chaired the event the last time it was in Dauphin.

She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in sport and recreation. She was a national team co-ordinator for Volleyball Canada for six years — attending and co-ordinating tournaments and matches — and she worked at the 2007 Pan American Games before returning to Dauphin to be employed in tourism and recreation. She currently works in a family business with her husband.

Her co-chair, Clayton Swanton, is an ultramarathon competitor and is one of the founders of the Manitoba Mud Run. He has an analytical mind and knows how to get projects to the next step in a short period of time.

Wolfenden is excited to work with Swanton, and to fill her new role.

“Part of why I got into sport and recreation was my dad’s involvement in the Games,” she said. “He’s been on the Manitoba Games Council and was co-chair in 2004. … When I was approached about co-chairing, it was a no-brainer. My dad loved the experience and still talks about it all the time. I’m excited to follow in his footsteps.”

While most of the facilities that are legacies from the 2004 Games will be used, Dauphin is working on one big project for 2020 — a new mountain biking park. The groundwork has already started for the facility, which will be just outside of Riding Mountain National Park and adjacent to the Countryfest site. The park will serve all ages and feature green, blue and black trails as well as a specific loop for the Games.

Wolfenden believes it will be a popular destination after its completion as Dauphin is one of the fastest-growing areas for interest in mountain biking and a new club, the Dauphin Derailleurs, has recently been formed.

Wolfenden sees a lot of benefits to Dauphin hosting. The economic impact on Steinbach for hosting the 2016 Summer Games was more than $2 million and she hopes that can be repeated in Dauphin. She also believes the event will leave a positive idea of community in its people.

“We want them (kids) to participate,” she said. “We told the kids at the announcement that even if you don’t get to participate, we still need volunteers and if they volunteer, they’ll learn how to be community leaders, how when we all pitch in together and get involved, we can make good things happen and it’s a lot of fun. It’s nice to have your town in the spotlight and I hope they can have some pride in that.”

The host society will be in Thompson for the Manitoba Winter Games in March to learn from that committee. It will then start creating subcommittees and preparing for its event. A call for volunteers will be put out at a future date.

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