From initial pessimism over volunteer strength to recreation centre delays in Hay River that pushed deadlines to the brink, the South Slave Arctic Winter Games host society took a lot of heat in the months leading up to the games.
When the host society dumped its communications contract with Verge, some thought for sure the entire project would start to crumble. It took a turn for the worse in January with the curious call to Northern artists and performers to “volunteer” for the games, suggesting organizers were trying to cut corners on the cheap with an amateurish approach to selecting entertainment.
But then a funny thing happened. The doors to the rec centre opened, the ranks of volunteers in Hay River and Fort Smith swelled to 1,500 (about 21 per cent of their combined populations, according to the Hay River Hub), and the more than 2,000 athletes, chaperons, performers, mission staff, AWG officials, media and others who attended, had a good time and took part in what was, in all appearances, a very successful event.
The success of the South Slave games shows us two things: with pride on the line, the people of Fort Smith and Hay River rallied and made sure the Games were successful. That these Games were successful is a testimonial to the good character of the people of these two communities. The Games had zero chance without there efforts.
The second thing is that these Games showed us the biennial event doesn't have to consist of party of three, rotating most years between Yellowknife, Anchorage and Whitehorse. And that splitting the games between two relatively nearby communities does not necessarily diminish them.
Jens Brinch, president of the Arctic Winter Games International Committee, while praising the 2018 games in Hay River and Fort Smith, said it was unlikely communities of such distances apart – a three-hour drive in the case of Fort Smith and Hay River – would not be chosen again to host the Games in the future.
When asked if this meant the South Slave communities would never get another consideration, Brinch back-peddled, saying they would but “I think we would plan it another way.” He suggested an opening ceremony in one community and the closing event in another.
This doesn't seem like a major obstacle, and whatever logistical challenges existed hosting the Games in Hay River and Fort Smith, they certainly overcame them.
Considering how most communities in the Arctic are on the smaller side, it is in the Games' interest to entertain the possibilities and figure out ways to bring the Games experience to a wider field of contenders.
So, kudos to this year's volunteers, community supporters and the South Slave Host Society – you have proved yourselves and did the NWT proud.
To the runners up in Inuvik who lost to the South Slave in their bid for the 2018 games, how great would it be, now that the highway to Tuktoyaktuk is complete, to join forces and bring the Games to the Beaufort Delta?