The City of Grande Prairie is scheduled to play host to numerous winter-related sporting events in the new year.
Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says supporting high-level athletics is critical for the city as athletes from around the province and country will have the opportunity to see what Grande Prairie has to offer in the athletics space.
Mayor Clayton says that events like the highly-anticipated 2024 Alberta Winter Games will open up a multitude of avenues for residents as Grande Prairie gears up to host the event.
“From February 16th to the 19th we will see approximately 2000 athletes coaches and officials come to our community to compete, get the experience to visit our community, and embrace our great community and the work that our people do on a day-to-day.”
Clayton adds that council is encouraging residents to take pride in hosting and embracing Grande Prairie’s history as a “games city.”
“Our community really does a great job hosting and executing, and I think being a games city is something that we should be very proud of.”
Later in the year, Grande Prairie is on track to become the first Alberta community to host the Northern Aboriginal Hockey Championships in May. According to Mayor Clayton, eight men’s teams and eight women’s teams from around the country are getting ready to battle it out on Peace Country ice in Grande Prairie.
“Being the first Alberta community [to host] is something we’re very proud of.”
According to games representatives, the 2024 Alberta Winter Games will be the first “major sporting event” the city has hosted in nearly six years.
