Niagara wins Games bid
Unanimous decision announced in Toronto
The big sports event isn’t for another four years, but the first winner has already emerged.
Cheers echoed through the halls of Hart House at University of Toronto Thursday, following words by Ontario Minister of Tourism Eleanor McMahon.
“It is with great pride that I announce that the Canada Summer Games in 2021 are going to Niagara Region,” she said as an audience of athletes and community representatives — including a large contingent from Niagara — erupted in shouts and applause.
Despite the strength of the competition, Niagara emerged as the clear winner in its bid to host the national event.
“This is a great day for Niagara, and it’s a great day for everybody in this room, the Canada Games included,” said Regional Chair Alan Caslin following the announcement.
“I want to be the first person to welcome right now 30,000 visitors, 5,000 athletes and 400 members of the media to Niagara, and various dignitaries as well, to witness the Canada Summer Games in 2021.”
In an interview, Canada Games Council chairman Tom Quinn said members of his organization were confident any of the four communities that submitted bids for the Games would have been capable of hosting the 18-day event, expected to attract more than 5,000 athletes and coaches and as many as 30,000 sports fans.
“But it became very clear — unanimously — that it was going to Niagara Region,” he added.
“Obviously all the communities had some very strong passionate support for what was going on, but Niagara, at the end of the day, everything just seemed to point in the direction that made the committee very comfortable with where we were going.”
Caslin credited the region’s successful bid to the Niagara Sports Commission under the leadership of Doug Hamilton, and a lot of “extremely hard work by a large number of people and dedicated volunteers in the community.”
He also congratulated other communities that were shortlisted for the national competition, including Sudbury, Kitchener-Waterloo and Ottawa.
“I know this is probably not a happy moment for you but quite frankly I want to recognize you for all the success you had in putting in your bids, holding your communities together and making a successful run at what we call the Canada Games here in Canada,” Caslin said.
Quinn said choosing one successful community out of four is “never fun to do, because you know you’re disappointing three other communities.”
But even a representative of a competing municipality couldn’t deny the quality of Niagara’s bid.
“Here’s how impressive what you did was,” said David Peacock, chief executive officer of Kitchen er Waterloo’ s regional tourism office. “Our bid was excellent, and you still won. Your bid had to be that good — plus.
“Congratulations from us. It was a heck of an accomplishment, and well deserved,” Peacock added.
In addition to the attention the event will bring Niagara, Caslin said it also means “economic stimulation” for the region.
“What it means is $200 million of economic impact,” he said.
Niagara will see “a serious return on its investment,” including new facilities being built, and existing facilities being retrofitted.
Niagara Sport Commission chairman Henry D’Angela, a Thorold regional councillors, called it “a historic day for Niagara.”
“We’re going to work to make sure it’s the most fabulous games that Canada Summer Games has ever seen. It’s going to set the high standard for all future summer games, and I know Niagara has got it in them to do it,” he said.
St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley noted the region’s recent experiences, as host of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts Canadian women’s curling championship, and numerous other international events.
Although each of the communities that bid for the events shared a great deal of enthusiasm, Bradley said it’s that experience that placed Niagara’s bid above the competition.
“I think the committee was impressed with that and with the general presentation that was made,” Bradley said.
Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates said “it doesn’t matter what the sport is, (Niagara residents) come out in record numbers” to support those events.
“I’m excited. I can’t tell you how excited I am to have this come to Niagara,” Gates added. “The one thing Niagara is doing that has probably helped this bid is all of Niagara is behind this—every community, every region of Niagara is behind this bid, and that’s why it’s so successful.”
Quinn said each of the communities that were shortlisted for the event has had experience with large sporting events, but Niagara’s recent experience was “one of the significant factors” in the committee’s decision.
“The hosting background, the amount of experienced volunteers in the area, and also the engagement — particularly from the government bodies, the way your (regional chair) got involved, and city councils — all that factors into the final decision,” Quinn said.
Now, as local communities spend the next four years preparing for the games, Quinn pointed out young athletes from across Canada are doing the same.
“Something about the games that a lot of people don’t know is there’s a million kids already starting right now to make the teams for the 2021 Games,” Quinn said.