With the 2019 Canada Winter Games drawing closer, a big step in developing the site at Great Chief Park was announced this week.

The City announced that J.T. Setters and Sons Construction Ltd. is the name sponsor for the new enhancements within Great Chief Park. These include the brand new pavilion building, outdoor speed skating oval and the synthetic sports field — now known as Setters Place at Great Chief Park.

“Today, we mark an exciting milestone for Great Chief Park while celebrating community partnerships,” said Mayor Tara Veer. “When we first won the bid for the 2019 Canada Winter Games, Red Deer began receiving infrastructure funding that meant that we could fulfill long-awaited community visions.”

“One long-standing vision for Great Chief Park was of course that it would become a four-season park, and even expand those multi-purpose aspects of it,” she said.

“Today, with the adoption of the new name, Setters Place at Great Chief Park, we thank J.T. Setters and Sons Construction Ltd. for their partnership and commitment to sport, community, and health through sponsorship,” she said.

“As we are all well aware, Great Chief Park is one of Red Deer’s premier outdoor sports parks,” she added. “The site is a critical partner that connects our City’s trail network and of course our award-winning Waskasoo Park system,” she said.

“We are so pleased to be joined today by members of the Setters Family and on behalf of the community that we serve, we want to thank you for your generosity in this sponsorship.”

Setters Place at Great Chief Park will officially open in January with the official event slated for Jan. 20th. For more information about Setters Place at Great Chief Park, check out www.reddeer.ca/settersplace.

“J.T. Setters and Sons Construction Ltd. is very proud to be the sponsor of Setters Place. It is an exciting opportunity to be involved in such a great community project that will benefit the City of Red Deer for years to come,” said Casey Setters, general manager of J.T. Setters and Sons Construction Ltd.

“I would like to thank the City of Red Deer for this sponsorship opportunity,” he said, explaining that the company has deep roots in the community, having been started in the early 1950s.

“Our company continues to grow along with the City of Red Deer with a strong family and community focus,” he said. “We look forward to continuing with our community focus.”

Meanwhile, the City of Red Deer is seeking name sponsors for several new or renovated community builds including Discovery Canyon and the new Northside Community Centre.

Veer said that particularly through the current economic times that the province is navigating through, whenever, “We have sponsors that are willing to invest in infrastructure, it allows us to leverage that funding so that we can essentially do more with less.”

She said with the Games being awarded to Red Deer, it was clear that named sponsors would have opportunities to get involved.

“Our community has been responding to that. It also provides good value for our tax dollars when sponsors come forward and make a donation and sponsorship in the name of their family.”

Sarah Cockerill, director of community services, said that she also wished to thank J.T. Setters and Sons Construction Ltd. for their partnership and commitment to the community through the sponsorship.

“We look forward to many exciting events that will be hosted at this truly four-season park. I’m pleased to announce that Setters Place at Great Chief Park will officially open January 20th. We invite the community to see the new pavilion, and outdoor speed skating oval in action as Alberta’s top athletes will be taking to the ice.

“The 2019 Canada Winter Games will be the largest sporting venue the City has ever hosted, and Setters Place at Great Chief Park will be at the centre of the action when the Games are underway.”