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Canada Summer Games wrap-up: Niagara threw one big party

Doug Hamilton, board chair of the 2022 Canada Summer Games, said last summer's event was 'incredible' for athletes, spectators and the future of Niagara

Niagara threw one big party, and managed to do it with enormous success in challenging circumstances.

Doug Hamilton, board chair of the 2022 Canada Summer Games, spoke at a wrap-up of the games Thursday, calling it a success in every way: for the athletes, the spectators, and for the legacies left for the future of Niagara.

A short video shown during the presentation at the sports centre in the Summer Games Park in Thorold showed the smiling faces of proud athletes at every venue — those smiles were proof enough of the accomplishments of the games, Hamilton said.

But despite the difficulty organizing an event of that size coming out of a pandemic, and after a year’s delay, the accomplishments didn’t end there.

Hamilton also spoke of the financial success: the number of tickets sold and the many sponsors and donations added up to more than $8 million in revenue, $2 million more than projected. And even better news, the games ended with a surplus, although Hamilton wouldn’t reveal how much — there are still invoices coming in, he said. Any money remaining after the bills are paid will go support athletes in the future.

The success of the event was achieved as a community, Hamilton said. “Niagara came together to deliver an incredible games.”

The Canada Games Park came in on budget, at about $100 million — the cost was “locked in pre-COVID. To build it now would cost $160 million,” he said.

It was built by a consortium that worked together — Thorold, where it is located, along with St. Catharines, Niagara Region, and Brock University, the land owner. “This facility is a classic example of a facility that went further than it ever could have without this collaboration. It is a tremendous, sustainable future legacy for the community. It has something literally for everyone.”

(Earlier this month, Thorold city council ordered a detailed financial review of the arena's first year of operations. One of the major points of concern for council members is that Thorold has been paying for ice time that is not being used.)

Attendance at the games was an all-time high since they began in 1967, totalling more than 300,000, with 130,00 spectators at sporting events and 170,000 participants at cultural events, “a number that hasn’t been seen before,” Hamilton said. There were also 5,000 athletes competing at 18 different sports, “and we had rave reviews from the athletes.”

A survey conducted among athletes showed more than 70 per cent rated the games as excellent, and 94 per cent as excellent or good. High ratings were given to the games for being a safe and inclusive environment; for the athletes village and for food, “thanks to Brock University,” said Hamilton; and for the opening ceremony, which he called “phenomenal.”

As some of the highlights, he noted the inclusion of lacrosse competitions, precedent-setting in 2022 — it had been part of the games only once, in 1985,  and never before had both men’s and women’s lacrosse teams been invited to compete.

The upgrades to sports facilities across Niagara are also a huge part of the legacy of the games, he said, including the tennis courts in Niagara-on-the-Lake and the bike trail in St Catharines, which will continue to benefit Niagara in the future, as well as “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in sports equipment that has been distributed across Niagara, and the more than $300,000 in digital production equipment now being used by students at Niagara College. The college, which was tasked with broadcasting events, did a job that was “superior to what TSN or CBC would have done,” he said, “and saved us a lot of money.” More than one million viewers watched the college’s live coverage, he added.

He spoke of the inclusivity of the games, hosting Indigenous programs and Pride Day; the success of the torch relay; the 13 for 13 cultural events involving all municipalities; the number of kids involved; and the closing ceremonies in Niagara Falls

Hamilton called the games in Niagara “a hell of an event,” and “the best of the best.” He repeated phrases he had heard, that Niagara had nailed it, and “rocked it out of the park.”

Kelly-Ann Paul, Canada Games president and CEO, also spoke at the presentation, and while she hedged at the “best of the best,” because all summer games are unique, she said, she admitted Niagara’s  events would be hard to top.

“The Canada Games Council will never regret awarding the Games to Niagara,” said Paul.