Community Stories

Ripples in Red Deer

March 12, 2019

Our city is still talking about it. Local events have a critical role to play in our economic ecosystem. From personal to professional connections, the ripple of hosting the 2019 Canada Winter Games is alive and well in our Red Deer!

Connecting at a personal event this past weekend echoed it for me. A local sales representative mentioned how her role at the games as site supervisor helped her make connections that will be invaluable for her career. How many businesses could make this same statement? Was it because they were located near an event site? Did they catch some overflow traffic? Maybe they went to an event and reconnected with an important member of their supply chain.

Every hat worn from volunteers to VIP guests presented a robust selection of connections with our entrepreneurs, businesses, friends, family, athletes and citizens. Even working at the Athlete’s Village Fit Out Crew was a perfect place to meet a local business representative. We connected later to talk about exports and diversifying to stabilize their business. Will that conversation plant a new idea for a local company? Will it spark a direction that can allow them to be more profitable and diverse?

In addition to this, our team was able to be a part of the premier Edge Investment Forum in tandem with a variety of local organizations that support our local or regional innovation and economic development. We watched a panel of 14 fresh ideas be pitched before investors. Numerous ideas and connections were formed in this one-day event. What from this could be the next major business employing our Red Deer citizens or putting Canada on the map?

As citizens and businesses we came together to support the spirit of sport and in the same breath were moving our connections forward. It will be interesting to see where we can take the former relationships reconnected, the new connections formed and new ideas forward. All of this because Red Deer stepped up and said “Red Deer is Ready”. The ripples we felt from the 2019 Canada Winter Games will prepare us for future opportunities and moments that will continue to help us grow and strengthen our community.