Canada Games Park Explained

The Canada Summer Games Park is an athletic venue built in Thorold, Ontario, for the 2022 Canada Summer Games. It now hosts local events.

History

Thorold, along with other municipalities in the Niagara Region, hosted events for the 2022 Canada Summer Games. The Canada Games Park was built in Thorold for it. The federal government contributed $29 million dollars for the event split between different venues.[1] The Canada Games Park facility cost 107 million dollars. Construction started in 2019.[2] The land used for the facility was previously used as parking lot space for Brock University.[3] Typically, the Canada Games does not run at a financial deficit due to corporate sponsorships; for the Canada Games Park, Canadian Tire donated a substantial amount of money and certain areas of the facility were named after it.[4] The venue was built to include two ice rinks, an area for track and field, four gymnasiums, six beach volleyball courts, and a cycling centre.[5] It is 18,580 square meters.[6] The venue contains the largest sprung floor in Canada.[4] The partners listed in a consortium agreement for Canada Games Park rent the space for specific timeslots and use it for activities such as public ice skating.[7]

In 2023, the city of Thorold hired a municipal lawyer to examine their claims to ownership, who determined that they were only one of three co-tenants leasing it from Brock University and their responsibilities for upkeep would expire in 38 years without any permanent claims to ownership.[8] That same year, it was discussed whether the facility would be able to host the 2025 Ontario Parasport Games.[9] In 2024, a totem pole in a St. Catharines park was restored and relocated inside the Canada Games Park as it was the only local building with a high enough ceiling for it. The total cost of the project was $188,875.[10]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rankin . Christine . Niagara region gets $29M from feds for 2021 Canada Summer Games . CBC News . 29 July 2024.
  2. Web site: Mitchell . Don . Brock University breaks ground on Canada Games Park . Global News . 6 August 2024.
  3. Web site: Canada Games Park . Brock University . 4 August 2024.
  4. Web site: Sawchuck . Bill . Canada Games facility gets jump start with new sponsor . St. Catharines Standard . 6 August 2024.
  5. Web site: Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games . Canada Games Park . 4 August 2024.
  6. Web site: Benner . Allan . Inside new Canada Games Park: A first peek at Niagara’s $107-million multi-use facility . St. Catharines Standard . 6 August 2024.
  7. Web site: Barker . Matthew . Thorold councillors concerned taxpayers do not have proper access to Canada Games Park . Niagara Falls Review . 6 August 2024.
  8. Web site: Lansbergen . Bernard . City Council still debating 'crappy' Canada Games Park deal . Thorold Today . 29 July 2024.
  9. Web site: Barker . Matthew . Canada Games Park eyed for Parasport Games but Thorold balks at taking lead . St. Catharines Standard . 4 August 2024.
  10. Web site: Walter . Karena . Centennial totem pole to be installed at Canada Games Park . St. Catharines Standard . 4 August 2024.