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TuesdayFebruary3201523SPORTSRECREATIONARCTICWINTERGAMESInuvikSouthSlavestepupforlastchancetoimpressArcticWinterGamescouncilByDALICARMICHAELCommunitiesintheBeaufortDeltaandSouthSlaveregionsoftheNWTgaveittheiralllastweekworkingtowinoveragroupofjudgesassignedwiththetaskofdetermin-ingwhowillholdthe2018ArcticWinterGamesAWGs.ThetownofInuvikandtheSouthSlavepartnersonFortSmithandHayRivereachtookturnshostingthevemembersoftheAWGInternationalCommitteeusingtheirlimitedtimetohighlighttheoutstandingel-ementsofeachregion.Organizingpartiesfromeachareasubmit-tedbidstothecommitteelatelastyearlistingtheexistinginfrastructureandinvestmentstheyarewillingtomakeforthegames.Lastweekstourservedasthenalopportunityforthosegroupstodazzlethejudgeswiththecharmsoftheircommunitiesandtheirreadinessforthegames.ItsonethingtowriteitdownonpaperanothertoseewhatitactuallylookslikesaidJanieHobartoneofthebidorganizersfortheSouthSlave.WhilesomecitizensmightbewaryofthepotentialcostsaninternationalcompetitionliketheAWGscouldforceacommunitytoincurintheendHobartsteamandtheircounterpartsintheNorthunderstandtheimplicitvalueoftheevent.Myfeelingisthatyestheydocostmoneybutalotofthatmoneygoestolegacyproj-ectsthatcanbeusedlateronHobartsaid.IfweweretohaveapermanentsnowboardparkwouldntthatbegreatfortheyouthAndifyougivethemvolunteertraininginsecurityorifyoureadriverorifyoureamedicalpersonorifyoureafoodpersonitmeansthatyourebuildingcapacitywithinyourcommunityandyoucandootherthingstobringmoremoneyin.Thejudgeshavetoconsidermanylogis-ticswhenmakingtheirdecision.Theyneedtopickthecommunitythatbesttstheneedsofthegamestakingintoaccountthenecessaryaccommodationsforthousandsofathletesandtheirmissionstafffacili-tiesforVIPmediaandculturalactivitieshealthcareandfoodfacilitiestraveldis-tancesbetweeneventsandhousingandnallycommunityspirit.AllofthesethingscomeintoplayanditsnotasinglethingthatmakesadifferencesaidAWGcouncilpresidentJohnRodda.Itsacollectiveplanthathelpsusidentifywherewethinktheathleteswillhavethegreatestsuccess.Itsneveraboutonecommunityver-susanotherandthatsalwayshardbecausewhenyoureevaluatingmorethanonesome-bodysgoingtogetitandsomebodyisnt.Wetrytodoitveryimpartiallywetrytotalktoallthepeoplewewantalltheinputpossible-wewanttoseewhatyouhavetooffer.Whatweseewehopethengoestowardswhattheathletesget.ThecommitteestartedtheirevaluationsinInuvikonJan.28wheretheyspentadayandahalfexaminingthelocalfacilities.AfterabriefstopinYellowknifetheyjour-neyedsouthtoFortSmithwheretheytookinacommunitylunchatJosephBurrTyr-rellElementarySchoolamidinfrastructuretoursonJan.29.Thateveningtheywrappeduptheireval-uationsattheHayRiverarenawherethecommitteewasmetwithrevellersatatown-widepeprally.ItsafunprocessbothcommunitieshavedoneafabulousjobRoddasaid.Nowthatthetoursareoveritstimeforhimandhisfellowevaluatorstogetdowntobusiness.Everybodydeservestoputtheirbestfootforwardandwewantthemtodothathesaid.Whenitsallsaidanddoneitsourjobtosaywethinkthismakesthebestsenseforallthesereasonsbecausewehavetojustifyit.TheAWGInternationalCommitteeisex-pectedtohavetheirdecisionmadebytheendofMarch.Untilthenallthebiddersandtheirsupporterscandoiswait.PhotosMarilynMarshallDaliCarmichaelDeclanMunroleftandConnorIvankoMcKaycompeteinHayRiverssnowshoeracebeforeheadingtothebigArcticWinterGamespeprallyintheDonStewartRecreationCentre.EddieSmithleftandSteveCampbellemceetheHayRiverArcticWinterGamespeprallyinsomenot-so-traditionalgarbonJan.29.ChildrenfromFortSmithsJosephBurrTyrrellElementarySchoolprovideentertainmentforagymfullofcommunitymembersandtheArcticWinterGamesinternationalcommittee.FortSmithGrade6jiggersCassidyGerouxleftKieronClementandMadisonFrancoisshowofftheirskillsdemonstratingthetypesofculturalcomponentstheSouthSlaveplanstohighlightatthe2018ArcticWinterGamesshouldtheywinthehostingrights.