Greater Sudbury will soon begin dusting off its sports infrastructure to host the 2025 Ontario 55+ Summer Games this coming August.
The announcement was made Oct. 31.
The province said in a news release is its providing $235,000 to support the city’s hosting efforts. The games are expected to attract more than 1,000 participants who will compete in more than a dozen events over three days in August 2025.
Hosting the games is expected to generate more than $1.5 million in economic spinoff benefits for Greater Sudbury.
"We are thrilled to host the 2025 Ontario 55+ Games. This is an exciting opportunity not only to showcase our vibrant community, but also to draw visitors from across the province,” said Mayor Paul Lefebvre in a news release. “We look forward to welcoming the athletes and their families to Greater Sudbury in August."
The City of Greater Sudbury said this past August that it had been asked to bid on hosting the games, which council unanimously agreed to do.
At the time, City Leisure Services director Jeff Pafford said he was optimistic city facilities could accommodate the games and that there’s a volunteer base “well suited to be able to facilitate the games.”
When Greater Sudbury hosted the 2010 Ontario Summer Games, the city was required to build certain facilities, such as beach volleyball courts and BMX cycling track. This wouldn’t be the case with the 55+ Summer Games, Pafford said, which likely will only require “minor capital upgrades” to host.
A successful motion in August from Ward 4 Coun. Pauline Fortin and Ward 5 Coun. Mike Parent asked staff to “report back on necessary capital upgrades and funding resources,” in the event the city proves successful in their bid, so that report should be in the works. Additional capital upgrades to meet the games’ needs might make hosting more costly.
The three-day Ontario 55+ Summer Games will see participants compete in such sports as cycling, tennis, swimming, predictive walking, carpet bowling, shuffleboard, pickleball, slo-pitch, bowling, cards, bocce, pool, darts and golf.
Hosting the games is anticipated to cost $486,000, including a $45,000 contingency fund.
Costs would be funded through the Ontario Ministry of Sport Hosting Grant ($235,000), Greater Sudbury Development Corporation’s Tourism Development Fund ($90,000), registration fees ($90,000), sponsorship ($20,000) and the Tourism Event Support Program ($20,000). The $30,000 balance is expected to be funded from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and FedNor, for which grants will be submitted now that Sudbury has won the right to host the games.
The Ontario 55+ Summer Games event used to be called “Activefest” and was first held in 1986 in Kitchener.
-with files from Tyler Clarke
