Mac, Mohawk are Game for 2026
Post-secondary institutions back Hamilton’s Commonwealth Games bid
McMaster University and Mohawk College have officially thrown their post-secondary muscle into the Commonwealth Games bid which has moved its target from 2030 to 2026.
And McMaster’s formal letter of support promises real money from its own sources: contributing to a state-of-the-art aquatic centre at the university, which would serve campus and community needs in equal parts.
These are the kinds of things city council will need to hear from Hamilton 2026 Commonwealth Games Bid Corporation will soon present its pared-down and more-regionalized Games proposal. It is expected to include little or no actual cash ask from the city, and increased financing from the private and “third sector” parties such as educational institutions.
“The Commonwealth Games is our best and most realistic opportunity to build a new aquatic centre, ” Sean Van Koughnett, McMaster’s associate vice-president and dean of students told The Spectator, confirming that the university’s support includes a financial contribution promise. Its 2030 bid-support letter did not specifically mention money and the 2026 one doesn’t indicate how much.
“The aquatic centre is just part of something larger,” Van Koughnett added. “As a pillar institution, what’s good for the community is good for us and vice-versa. It’s not just about two weeks of competition. Employment opportunities will be there for our students. The community uplift legacy will make Hamilton a more attractive place for young people to stay, work, have their families and build their lives. If we have alumni who are actively based here it’s easier to keep them engaged in the university.”
The 2026 bid has a primary focus on post-pandemic recovery but it will also include steps toward redirecting segments of the local economy, which could encourage graduates of local post-secondary institutes to stay in town.
The 2026 support letter from Mohawk president and CEO Ron McKerlie says, in part, “From the planning and preparation, to the Games themselves, Mohawk students and graduates would benefit from the many opportunities an event of this size and significance would create. Likewise, the community would benefit from being able to leverage the talent and abilities of our students and graduates.” Mohawk, McMaster and Redeemer University backed the 2030 bid. The new bid corporation has not yet reached out to Redeemer but will. It’s possible the three schools’ residences could be used, if required, for in-Games housing.
The bid package will also include a support letter from McMaster Innovation Park, the private for-profit entity solely owned by the university and designed to create economic reality out of academic research.
“Our job is to have an impact on the world resulting from the research and innovations that come out of the park and the university,” said park CEO, Ty Shattuck. “The impact theme of the Games bid is so closely aligned with that, there have to be opportunities for collaboration.”
MIP’s master plan includes 1.8 million square feet of new development space, built with mostly private investment, over the next five-to-seven years.
An education-business collaboration worth considering here is the recently-created Commonwealth Jobs and Skills Academy in Manchester, England, the 2022 Games host. It is designed to help local young people and unemployed adults, and even businesses, land Games-related work through specialized retraining and skills development.