Regina Leader Post
October 29, 1973 p.1
The 1975 Western Canada Olympic Games, an undertaking of the Saskatchewan government which will include participation of athletes from the four Western provinces, will be held in Regina, Culture and Youth Minister Tchorzewski announced this morning.
Sasktoon was the only other city to submit a bid for the games, and in making the announcement Mr. Tchorzewski indicated that the briefs presented by both cities "were on a par from the point of view of facilities, needs and expertise."
"We had to take other factors into consideration," said the minister. "It's true that we couldn't overlook the fact Saskatoon played host to the 1971 Canada Winter Games."
A total of 1,680 athletes will take part in 23 Olympic sports with the cost of the games estimated at approximately $2 million.
The provincial government will be committing $500,000 to cover the cost of some capital expenditure and "about another $500,000 for administration needs," Mr. Tchorzewski said.
The city of Regina will cover the remaining costs, which include construction of an indoor Olympic size swimming pool, a 400-metre all weather track, a boating and canoeing complex, increased lighting for soccer fields and a portable cycling track.
Mr. Tchorzewski indicated that the decision for the site of the games was made last Tuesday, the day prior to the Regina civic election, at which time Regina burgesses voted in favor of alloting funds for an indoor swimming pool.
"Our decision may not have been any different if indeed the Regina voters would have decided against a swimming pool, since there may have been another plan that perhaps would have been used by the city to raise money for the pool," he said.
Mr. Tchorzewski said he didn't know if there would be any funds forthcoming from the federal government, although Health and Welfare Minister Marc Lalonde has indicated he is interested in upgrading Canada to Olympic standards.
The idea for the games was presented by Mr. Tchorzewski at a Western Premiers' conference in Victoria last summer, at which time the other three Western provinces showed interest in the plan. The concept behind the games is to provide Western Canadian athletes with futher training and expertise before the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
The Olympic sports in the games will include archery, athletics, basketball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, diving, equestrian, fencing, field hockey, gymnastics, handball, judo, pentathlon, rowing, shooting, soccer, swimming, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting, wrestling, yachting.
