INNISFAIL – Things are definitely looking more sky high this year for Calgary’s upcoming annual Firefighter Stairclimb Challenge and Innisfail firefighters are already preparing for the training ahead.
The Town of Innisfail received a press release with registration information for the 9th Firefighter Stairclimb Challenge on June 11; an event in support of Wellspring Calgary to raise awareness and support for firefighters and all citizens living with cancer.
This year the stairclimb challenge will most definitely be a more traditional vertical affair, unlike in 2020 and 2021 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced virtual participation.
There was a less challenging vertical venue in 2022 at WinSport's Canada Olympic Park; a three-kilometre hike along a service road with a climb in elevation of 390 feet.
The past pre-pandemic venue was the 236-metre (774 ft.) Bow Tower with its 1,204 steps to the top.
But this year the venue will be Brookfield Place, now Calgary’s tallest building. It rises 247 metres (810 ft) with 1,370 steps to climb.
Due to Calgary’s 3,428-ft. altitude, the June 11 event will be the highest elevation stairclimb in the world.
“Now, obviously, we have a tall building, so we're going to do it in that one,” noted Gary Leith, the fire chief of the Innisfail Fire Department, who has participated in the challenge every year since 2018.
Leith said he’s hoping to bring at least four other local firefighters with him. Each of them will be tasked to lug more than 50 lbs. of firefighting gear up to the top, which means there is plenty of training ahead for the Innisfail crew.
“We will certainly have to do some. I am nearly 57 now,” said Leith with a chuckle.
Since 2018 Leith and his participating firefighters have raised thousands of dollars for Wellspring Calgary, including $2,795 last year.
In 2022 the local heroes were joined at Canada Olympic Park by Mayor Jean Barclay, Coun. Dale Dunham, CAO Todd Becker, Erica Vickers, director of corporate services and Steven Kennedy, director of operational services.
“I will possibly go as long as I have teammates to come as well,” said the amused mayor at the prospect of climbing 1,370 steps to the top of Brookfield Place. “It's on the radar for two or three of us to participate, and we will have further discussion about it.
“Discussions that we have had just amongst us was that if we are going to do this, we need to get serious about it, and we need to do some fundraising and support our firefighters.”
