By Katie Strachan
The Oshawa Express
For more than 20 years hundreds of seniors have made their way to cities across the province to compete in the Ontario Senior Games.
The games not only promote activity in older adults but it’s also a major boost for the city hosting it.
And this is Oshawa’s year.
“The whole thing behind this is to promote senior activity in the city of Oshawa,” says Bill Allen, chair of Actifest 2010, the organization hosting this year’s summer games.
More than 1,000 seniors over 55 from all over Ontario will flock to Oshawa to take part in the games, which are run similarly to the Olympic games, says Allen.
“It’s much like the Olympic games down to Canada’s games down to the provincial games,” he says.
The games are held every two years with one goal in mind: Get seniors active.
“The events will take place between August 10 and August 12 in the city,” says Amany Tadros, games general manager.
The City of Oshawa, as part of their sponsorship partnership with Actifest, is providing a number of city sites to host the events, says Allen.
“All of the games are being held here (in Oshawa) either through city sites that they’re (the city) providing or at UOIT (the University of Ontario Institute of Technology) or Durham College,” he adds.
Allen and Tadros, along with others involved with Actifest 2010, have plans to use the college and university campuses as an ‘athletes village’ where the games’ participants will dine and stay.
The opening and closing ceremonies will also be held there says Tadros, adding seniors will sing the national anthem and provide evening performances.
Playing host to the games means big things for the city, they say.
“We expect lots of people to visit our award-winning facilities and venues,” says Tadros.
“It will promote Oshawa worldwide.”
It’s also great for athletes right here in the city, the duo says.
“Oshawa has the largest regional association with the Oshawa Senior Citizens Centre,” says Allen, adding the number of athletes is in the thousands.
“It shows you the importance of emphasizing seniors activities.”
The Ontario Seniors Games were first held in Kitchener in 1986. The success of those games provided the framework to host the games on an annual basis.
The Ontario games are hosted every August in even-numbered years. The district games are also held annually and in even-numbered years.
Participants who win events in district games qualify to compete in the provincial games, says Allen.
“We have 40 districts from across the province,” adds the chair.
The games are also the driving force behind updating at some of the city’s recreational facilities, Allen explains.
“We’re upgrading some of the facilities. In North Oshawa they’re getting brand new tennis courts. The games have spurred this,” he says, adding horseshoe pits are being installed at the Conant complex. |
