Last week the M1 Mission Conference was held at the Innovation Credit Union iPlex for the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games.

Representatives from Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut all came together and went on tours of the facilities and learned about the plans made for the games.

Darin Banadyga is the executive director of sport, culture, and recreation for the province and is also a chairperson for the Western Canada Summer Games. He said that during their tour the missions were impressed with what Swift Current and the surrounding area had to offer.

"We got to tour all the magnificent facilities and competition venues that Swift Current has to offer, so it's certainly been impressive," he said. "I think a lot of the people across the provinces and territories got to see that Swift Current has got some capacity to host an event of this size."

Mark Bracken is the chef de mission for Saskatchewan and said that he was impressed with how well planned the games have been.

"Very impressed with the planning and work that Swift Current has done so far," he noted. "The leadership of the staff team, the leadership of the volunteer champions in the community, is great. Talking to my colleagues across the west everyone seems very pleased with the planning to date. We are excited."

Over 1,700 athletes ranging from ages 13 to 20, coaches, officials and staff from the provinces and territories will attend the ten-day competition.

The competition will feature over 20 sports that are split into 14 different venues and multiple places across southwestern Saskatchewan including Swift Current, Lac Pelletier, Saskatchewan Landing, Hazlet, and Wymark.

Trevor Twardochelb is the chef de mission for Yukon and said he likes how close together the facilities are.

"I'm always amazed at the facilities from any one of the communities that are hosting these types of events has. It's spectacular," he said. "The one thing that I like about Swift Current is that things are relatively close together. I just like the wide openness of it yet it's still small and not overwhelming."

Twardochelb added that he likes seeing the games in a smaller location.

"Sometimes the games potentially could get lost in bigger centres, and I have seen that happen," he said. "I really like it when it comes back to a place that captures the games and the spirit of the games and really develops the physical legacy but also the human of the legacy of the whole experience."

Jerry George the chef de mission for Alberta agreed with his counterpart from the Yukon in saying that he feels Swift Current is the perfect size community for the games.

"It's the perfect size community for these kinds of games. You're going to come into this community and everybody is going to know the Western Canada Games are happening," he said. "The facilities are in close proximity to one another so it will be easy for people to get around and again that whole cheering on the rest of your team, and I think you've got some great facilities for a community this size.

Alberta hosted the games last year in Wood Buffalo and George says that when it's in your home province it's very exciting to be a part of.

"You get more of that hometown crowd. It adds even more excitement when the community is behind you. You just want to come out and be part of the experience."

Pat Kirby is the chef de mission for Manitoba said that Swift Current could expect to see their community rise to the occasion.

"Your going to see a huge growth in volunteerism, and just the whole pride in your community putting on an event that will show all the athletes, coaches, managers, and visitors that are coming to Swift Current to what you can actually do and take pride in all the things that take place," he said. "If it's a sport venue, if it's the athlete entertainment, the hospitality itself, you will just be overwhelmed with all of that environment."

The Western Canada Summer Games will kick off in 14 months on August 9 and will go to August 18.