Athletes awed by games' success

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The 1993 North American Indigenous Games were a tremendous success, say athletes.

"The games were excellent," said Joan Wolfe, middle on Team Alberta's senior women's soccer team. "Whoever is responsible has done an awesome job."

"And they were smart to choose this city - Prince Albertans have been wonderful hosts."

The city of approximately 33,000 swelled to more than 40,000 with the wave of athletes, support personnel and fans attending the games and cultural events.

The most common adjective used to describe the opening ceremonies was "thrilling." More than 6,000 athletes, coaches and fans took part in the event at Harry Jerome Track, at Prince Albert's Prime Ministers' Park. A long list of dignitaries, including Ovide Mercredi, Grand Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, and Roland Crowe, Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, helped open the games.

"I know that in the future, as we deal with our struggles, our people will be well represented," said Mercredi, a former track-and-field athlete. "I say to you, on behalf of the chief of Canada, you have made us very proud."

City Mayor Gordon Kirby praised the games, crediting the event with breaking down cultural barriers between the Native and non-Native residents of Prince Albert.

The games are also the largest event ever hosted in the city. All the hotels and motels were full and business around the city was brisk.

"All the businesses are hopping," said Greg Dionne, manager of Prince Albert's Gateway Mall. "We've been busy since July 12 when the officials started to arrive."

Dionne said July is usually the slowest commercial month because many people head north to the lakes for the summer. Not this year.

Hot, muggy weather, combined with a plague of mosquitoes could have been driving spectators inside to air conditioned malls. But Dionne didn't mind the reason for the upswing in customers.

"Saturday, (July 17) was so busy we thought it was Christmas," he exclaimed.

On the organizational side of the games, things could have run smoother. For example, sports results were slow to be announced and sometimes lost, several events started late, and the closing ceremonies were criticized for starting too late and running too long.