By Ashleigh Viveiros

The City of Winkler will receive two sizeable government grants to help defray costs of hosting Olympic Flame in January

The federal government has awarded the city $15,000 through its Celebration and Commemoration Program, while the provincial government has approved a $10,000 grant through Sport Manitoba to help with the celebrations.

Together, the $25,000 in government funding will likely cover about half of the costs associated with being a host community on the cross-Canada Olympic Torch Run, said city councillor Henry Siemens, chair of the planning committee.

“The city will likely have to ante up at least that much as well,” he speculated, noting the committee is still in the process of firming up the day’s events and, thus, its budget.

What’s known for sure is that, en route to the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, the Olympic Torch will be stopping in Winkler from noon to 3 p.m. on Thursday, January 7.

A temporary portable stage - courtesy of the national torch relay organizing team - will be set up in the Winkler Arena parking lot to host the official ceremonies, in addition to a musical concert and other entertainment, Siemens said.

A chunk of the event’s budget will also go towards promoting the event and, especially, decorating the community with banners and signs to show our civic pride at being one of only 200 Canadian communities chosen to host the torch, he said.

More information about the celebration will be released in the coming months, Siemens said.