Brookman: Put your best foot forward Calgary, as we welcome the world
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The old saying goes that 'nobody does it better.' Starting today, lucky Friday the 13th, we need all Calgarians to prove that's true of us.
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Next week, having just welcomed the G7 and the Global Energy Show, the Rotarians will arrive — more than 15,000 of them from every corner of the world. This is the second time the Rotary International Convention has been held in Calgary, and there are still attendees from 1996 who say, 'Calgary was the best Rotary convention ever.'
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Let's prove that just like love, it can be better the second time around.
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Locals have been working for years now to make this a great show. The new BMO Centre will be hosting its biggest convention since it opened, and every hotel, taxi, restaurant and rental car company has been warned, trained, encouraged, etc., to put on the best face we can for this massive convention.
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As a proud Rotarian, there has to be major congratulations to many groups, including Tourism Calgary, the Calgary Stampede, the Calgary Hotel Association, the Downtown Business Association and, of course, the folks behind the Saddledome and the BMO Centre. Local Rotarians will be out in full force to welcome everyone, but thousands of hours have already been spent putting a shine on our city.
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The loss of the downtown Bay could not have come at a worse time, and we all know that Stephen Avenue Walk needs more than a bit of lipstick, but if paint, flowers, extra police and dozens of local Calgarians can put a shine on the street, then we are going to do exactly that.
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This will be a diverse convention, and we can expect visitors from more than 120 countries to be in Calgary, starting on June 21. This means a lot of confused travellers, a lot of uncertain drivers and lots of questions. We are calling on all Calgarians to open your hearts and minds to all of the people who are going to see the city, many for the very first time.
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The Rotary International Convention is often described as a mini-United Nations, and Stampede Park will become the centre of an incredible mosaic of people, cultural experiences and a showcase for more than 100 Rotary Humanitarian projects happening around the world.
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What can you do to make this an amazing experience? Bring your patience and your biggest smiles wherever you are in the city. Put on your best look, and if you have a business that could use a bit of weeding or trimming or just a cleanup, this is the time to do it. There will be 50 extra police officers downtown to help keep things calm, but most Rotarians will be focused on having a great time and experiencing all that Calgary has to offer.
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