Medicine Hat is ready to 'shine' hosting Canada Special Olympics

It's taken longer than expected for Medicine Hat to welcome Special Olympians from across the country, but organizers are promising that it will be worth the wait.

The southern Alberta city began preparing to host the 2022 games seven years ago, but the event was called off because of the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, organizers are planning a celebration in early May to begin a 100-day countdown to the August games.

"It feels like something that we've been talking about forever, but now the time is quite literally flying by," said Kara Brake, the event's general manager, who worked on the initial bid in 2019 and immediately reapplied when the 2022 games were cancelled.

At the time, the bid was part of a program to promote the city and build experience in hosting larger events and bolstering "sports tourism" to the region.

It's also been a labour of love for a large group of volunteers, said Brake, who wanted to tailor the games experience to the athletes' wishes.

"Our goal is just to make sure that they have a great time while they're here."  

More than 1,500 competitors in 10 different sports will arrive in Medicine Hat for the Aug. 11-15 games.

That will require about 1,500 volunteers — in a city of 69,000 — to manage venues, oversee competitions, shuttle athletes around town and create a welcoming experience for them, coaches and spectators. 

The games have been held since the late 1960s to highlight the achievements of athletes with intellectual disabilities, according to Special Olympics Canada. The goal is to promote physical fitness, showcase skills and build camaraderie through competition.

In Medicine Hat, athletes are also involved in the planning process.

Local basketball, five-pin bowler and