Hay City Slam looking unlikely

It appears that the annual Hay City Slam will not take place in Olds this year.

This summer would have been the fifth time the skate and BMX competition was held in Centennial Park, normally the last weekend of July.

Karen Strocher and her son Shea have been the leaders of more than 30 volunteers who have stepped up to put on the event each time, drawing competitors from across the province, and outside of it.

But Strocher said she's gone through a "tumultuous" year and hasn't been able to do the organizing.

"There's been a lot of family things going on with me right now. That was the least of my worries," Strocher said.

She adds that the Slam has always been a community effort, where local businesses would offer prizes and in-kind support; all of it to benefit youth and encourage volunteerism. As well, registration fees were donated to a charitable cause.

The Town of Olds would also provide assistance, assigning a community facilitator to guide organizers through the event hosting process, said chief operating officer Doug Wagstaff.

He adds that they haven't heard of anybody coming forward to keep the Slam going.

That worries Strocher.

"Once you lose the momentum of something like that, it's really hard to get going again. That's my feeling," she said. "One of our prime objectives was to make people aware of the sport and just create a fun event. We never made a lot of money. It wasn't about the money at all. It was about involving youth, involving community."

The Strochers used to run 360 Snow & Skate in Uptowne Olds before closing shop last year.

Strocher said the store was vital to the event because it was a way to build relationships with the skate and BMX industry, suppliers and other businesses that helped out.

"I think without the store, there definitely was a void or a piece missing as far as community connection," she said.

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