Last night (November 30), the City of Airdrie unveiled a public art work at Genesis Place commemorating the 2014 Alberta Summer Games.

The art work is located on the ceiling of Genesis Place above the McKee Homes Limited Viewing Area. The unveiling was attended by Mayor Peter Brown, Councillors Al Jones, Tina Petrow and Darrell Belyk, Calgary artist Alexandra Haeseker, as well as a number of people involved with the Summer Games and the selection of the art work.

The art work, completed by Haeseker, portrays athletes and volunteers that were involved in the Summer Games in a colorful and stylized manner.

Mayor Peter Brown said when he first saw the art work, he was filled with pride.

"It shows exactly what the Games were all about. You see people smiling, you see athletes pushing their hardest to be champions and the community coming together to celebrate Airdrie and celebrate the province and do the right things. I can't show you, but my hair is standing on end on my arm when I look up there."

Brown said the art work will go a long way to build legacy in Airdrie, which he feels is lacking due to earlier decisions to tear down historic buildings like Airdrie's grain elevators and the Old Hotel.

Councillor Al Jones, who served as the Chairman for the 2014 Alberta Summer Games, said the Games were highly important for the community. He sees the true legacy of the Games as the significant investments into sports and recreation facilities. The artwork is a celebration of that legacy.

"You look at the beach volleyball courts over in Chinook Winds, those were built specifically for the games and now we have them for many, many years in the future for people to enjoy. So if we were to say that all those things were the pie, this is the whip cream on top."

Ultimately, Jones hopes the art work will serve as a reminder of the Games for years to come.

"There was over 2,100 people that came together in this community to help put on an incredible event, and they can now come here and maybe remember the hundreds or possibly thousands of fond memories that were formed that summer and know that they helped do this."

 

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