Tough economic times in Alberta didn’t stop NOVA Chemicals from stepping up to the plate big time this month.
The company strengthened its record of ongoing support for the community of Red Deer and at the same time continued to back Red Deer College with a $2 million dollar donation to be shared with the Canada Winter Games Host Society.
“We have ongoing investments in the community and occasionally we look for signature sponsorships like this that can be impactful in the long term,” said Rick Van Hemmen, NOVA Chemicals manufacturing director, Western Canada. “Because we think it’s important when you’re in a community like this to be a participating, contributing member.”
To say Lyn Radford, Board Chair of the 2019 Winter Games Host Society was excited to make this announcement and having NOVA onboard would be a huge understatement. A yell and a fist pump punctuated the news as it was released to a large crowd gathered at the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.
When the games were announced Radford says sustainability was a key component moving forward so the discussion started to veer towards that end goal.
“We thought, we need to talk to a community supporter that is strong in that and so we started brainstorming and who comes up but NOVA Chemicals,” she said.
Red Deer College President Joel Ward said having the support from NOVA Chemicals for the Gary W. Harris Centre for Health, Wellness and Sport is huge for RDC for after the games and in its effort to become a polytechnical university.
“It all fits together. The Canada Winter Games was the impetus for this opportunity for us to build this great facility and to be a main partner,” he said.
There were a lot of moving pieces in order for this to come together and helping along the way was NOVA Chemicals own sustainability program within the chemical industry.
“We want to be very thoughtful of our operations, of our communities, of our products, of the environment and the impacts we’re having,” said Van Hemmeren. “This is in our blood. This is in our DNA. It’s in the blood of the Canada Winter Games and of Red Deer College. This fits so well on so many different levels I cannot imagine not having been a part of this.”
Radford says the games committee is focused on leaving as small a footprint as they can when preparing for the games and while the games are on.
The committee is anticipating close to 25,000 visitors coming to Red Deer along with over 3,600 athletes and another 1,000 people associated with the teams.
“When you talk about that you have to really have your ducks in a row for sustainability. What are we doing with our food waste? What are we doing with our waste management?”
Transportation and building the facilities also come into the discussion as well as other venues around the city. The thought process here is to be very mindful of the environment and the landscape, said Radford.
The long history between NOVA and the college played a role in making this come about and Ward says the college and the games committee made the pitch together. It’s an approach they will continue to employ as they knock on other doors to garner support.
This is going to be networking at a very high level to get it done as opposed to sitting around worrying about the economy as it stands right now.
“The message is clear,” said Ward. “We’re not going to sit still. We’re not going to whine and complain and sit on our hands. We’re going to make stuff happen and if you’re the government, if you’re the communities, we’re coming and we want you to work with us to make this happen for Central Alberta and these great communities.”
With big players like NOVA Chemicals on the team then there should be no doubt this is going to happen and it will be done right.
