Work on Games facilities set to begin next year

Chief executive officer gives Regional Councillors an update on preparations

It’ll be more than a year before residents see the first obvious indications that Niagara will welcome top athletes from across Canada.

That’s when Wayne Parrish, the chief executive officers of the Canada Summer Games Host Society, hopes to have the first shovels in the ground to construct new facilities to host the games when they take place in Niagara in the summer of 2021.

While the organization has already set its overall capital budget for the national multi-sport competition at $61million, including $12 million that has already been committed, Parrish was optimistic about uppertier government approval of the remaining funding.

“My sense is we’re in a good place,” Parrish told regional council at Thursday night’s meeting. “Having said that, it’s not done until it’s done.”

He said the host society should know by April if all the funding is in place.

If the funding is approved this spring, Parrish said the Host Society will need to move quickly to get shovels in the ground and all the planning done by January or February of 2019.

“That will allow us to begin to see the physical structure in mid-2019,” Parrish said.

In addition to new facilities, he said a significant investment has been committed to upgrade existing facilities to host Summer Games events. And those upgrades are expected to start in the spring and summer of 2019.

“I would say by the fall of 2019, we’ll begin to see the physical signs that the games are coming,” he said.

Some of those upgrades will include ensuring existing facilities will meet accessibility requirements

The facilities will also be developed to provide the long-term benefits to Niagara.

Host Society board chair Doug Hamilton said “already, our capital plan has looked beyond 2021 … Beyond the bricks and mortar, there's a legacy aspect being considered.”

For instance, Hamilton said Henley rowing course is not currently accessible, but will be upgraded to meet international standards by the time the Games take place.

Another change being considered for the 2021 Games is a greater inclusion of Canadian cultures, including Canada’s Indigenous people.

“This is not only a sporting event, but a cultural event,” Hamilton said.

After consultation with First Nations groups, he said they are developing plans in the hope of including lacrosse, for the first time in Canada Summer Games history.

In the meantime, Parrish said the Host Society is working towards putting together its senior management team that will lead the region’s efforts to prepare for the event.

He said they’re working towards putting together “the most sophisticated, strong senior management team the Games have ever had,” tapping into the considerable talent within the region.

My sense is we’re in a good place. Having said that, it’s not done until it’s done. WAYNE PARRISH, chief executive officer