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MAYOR'S MESSAGE: The Canada Games legacy

Prior to our monthly Niagara Regional Council meeting, councillors received a final report on the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, which took place last August.
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Prior to our monthly Niagara Regional Council meeting, councillors received a final report on the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, which took place last August. The presentation, which was given by Board Chair Doug Hamilton, lasted two hours, with councillors afforded time at the end to ask questions. The overwhelming conclusion by all those involved was that the Games were a great success, with 94 percent of the athletes rating them either good or excellent.

In the early planning stages, our Indigenous partners stated that if the Games were to be inclusive to them, then field lacrosse would have to be a must sport. After consulting with both federal and provincial government agencies, for the first time ever in the Summer Games, field lacrosse was included, and will be included in all Summer Games going forward.

With an event this large, all numbers involved with it are very impressive. There was a total of 3,600 volunteers with over 100,000 hours of support given to the Games. It is estimated that over 300,000 citizens came to Niagara to watch the over 500 athletes compete. At the closing ceremony, over 30,000 spectators filled Victoria Park in Niagara Falls.

Although several regional facilities were given upgrades to meet national competition standards, there are two legacy structures that stand out: the Walker Sports and Abilities Centre at the Canada Games Park, directly across from Regional Headquarters on Merrittville Highway; and the Neil Campbell Rowing Centre, located on Henley Island.

With financial figures still being finalized, it has been forecasted that the Games will have a surplus of some $2.5 – $3 million dollars, with this money going into a fund to help sporting teams of Niagara, well into the future.

All in all, it was the biggest sporting event ever to take place in the Region, and we can all be proud of the way it showcased our Niagara.