Yellowknife (Mar 17/06) - The 2008 Arctic Winter Games will be more than the 20th appearance of the event - it will also be a homecoming.

With the 2006 Games fresh in the minds of participants, Yellowknife is well underway to preparing for the 2008 Games.

The first games were held in 1970, hosted by Yellowknife.

2008 Arctic Winter Games Host Society members Dave Devanna and Sharni Bruce enjoy some good cheer during an event to preview the upcoming games in Yellowknife. - NNSL photo

With the experience of hosting four previous Games, Cathie Bolstad, host society president, is confident the city will put on the best show in games history.

Last week, while the 2006 games were in full swing, Bolstad and a small army of host society volunteers were in Kenai, Alaska, taking notes.

Bolstad said she learned a lot on the trip and will incorporate those lessons into their planning strategies, which have already been six months in the making.

"One of the things we have said to ourselves is that we have been inspired by being here, but only half of our committee is here. Now, we have to go back and fire them up about it," said Bolstad.

Generating community enthusiasm is on top of the list for 2008.

Bolstad said that by the time the games roll around, every volunteer and citizen will not only be excited for the games, but have it in the forefront of their minds.

Leading up to the games, as details are finalized, signage will begin popping up around the city informing people what events will be hosted where.

With the homecoming theme in mind, Bolstad also wants the link the next games with those from the past.

"We're asking what can we do to excite past athletes and coaches to come for the next games," she said.

In terms of cost, Bolstad is confident that Yellowknife can do what Alaska did and more, for much less. "We have much less of a facilities challenge and a distance challenge," she said.

Kenai spent nearly $9 million US on the games, according to Bill Popp, finance manager for the 2008 Games.

Half of that was spent on the games themselves, and the other half went into an array of capital projects, improvements and expenditures.

Included were facility upgrades, technology upgrades and the purchase of 23 school buses.

Yellowknife's Games will cost about $4 million Canadian.

There is a possibility that a new soccer facility will be built before the games, valuing between $6 million and $12 million, but that expenditure is not directly related to games planning.

The biggest challenge for the 2008 Games, according to Bolstad will be to match Alaska's hospitality. She is challenging Yellowknifers to be the North's most welcoming community in 2008.

"I think Yellowknife is a good tourism town already. Our challenge is to get our people as passionate about the games as we felt here," she said.Yellowknife's Arctic Winter Games planning committee has a lot of excited people who will be working hard to get things organized.

Perhaps one of the busiest and most excited people is Sharni Bruce.

Hired on as the Games' sport manager, the 22-year-old will be responsible from everything from event scheduling to the athletes' food menu.

Bruce is a recent recreation management grad from the University of Alberta.

Originally from Langley, B.C., she says she is as excited about planning and being a part of the games as if she was born and raised in the North.

"I love the territory and Yellowknife. I am very enthusiastic. We have a great group of people and it's going to be an incredible games," she said.

Although she is a recent grad, she has confidence that she can help plan an event of such a large size and scope.

With past experience organizing the NWT Summer Games and Canada Games NWT Mission staff, combined with what she called an excellent network of support, she said she is not nervous at all.

"I know any questions I have I will be supported," she said.