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They’re always welcome in our town
Chris Clegg
South Peace News
Anyone who looked at the Sports Palace parking lot March 30 had to be a little disappointed.
Frankly, it looked like a hurricane blew through town after the completion of the Treaty 8 Championships. What a mess! Garbage everywhere!
A phone call to the office complaining bitterly, coupled with some coffee shop talk of the mess left behind, put a small damper on an otherwise terrific weekend in High Prairie.
A short note to Treaty 8 organizers: you’re welcome in our town any time.
Anyone who complains of the mess left behind is losing perspective of the situation on several fronts.
First, the tremendous economic impact left behind by such a large event is not lost on the hotel owners, gas stations and convenience stores, restaurants and, we hope, the odd merchant who had customers pass through their doors.
I’m the first to admit I have no idea how much money was spent in town over the three days. Assuming anywhere from $200-400 for every man, woman and child was spent, and estimating an extra 500 people came to town for the weekend, well, do the math. It’s anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000 dropped into the local economy.
I would suggest to readers those numbers are very, very conservative at best. It would be very interesting to know what the exact numbers were.
Regardless, the rewards of hosting the tournament is not chicken feed and a welcome boost to the economy during this recession.
Besides, there is little difference between the Treaty 8 tournament and a packed house for a Regals playoff game. Yet, very few complain about the mess left behind after a Regals game.
The fact is, wherever large numbers of people congregate, the general rule is a mess is left behind. About the only exception to the rule is the North Country Fair, and I’m sure many people would object to the suggestion there is little mess left behind.
I’ve never understood why people are so quick to shun events which are so beneficial to a community. Hosting events like the Treaty 8 Championships, North Country Fair, Elks Pro Rodeo, etc. help promote communities. They bring people to town and it gives us a chance to highlight what we have.
I’m the first to admit I don’t like the mess left behind at many of these events. The fact at least one High Prairie Play Program parent was very upset after fries and gravy were smudged into the carpet leading into their room is understandable.
However, messes can be cleaned. Garbage can be picked. An inconvenience, yes, but life goes on.
The bigger picture is the economics of the event. Far more benefit than negativity, when you look at the big picture. Sometimes, people forget that.
A day or two later, the garbage was picked. One would never known the tournament was being held.
Was it worth getting so upset?
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