2020 Winter Games
The City of Orillia kicked off its organizing agenda as it prepares to host the 2020 Ontario Winter Games next February. Some team leaders and a few volunteers were on hand to watch a demonstration of Wushu (martial arts) one of the events part of the games schedule.
The games have a new chair this year in Jed Levene and are expected to have an additional 500 participants than the previous games held in Orillia in 2018 when 3,000 participated.
“They will even be bigger and better than before and by virtue of our experience we’ve had hosting them so successfully the first time and by virtue of having another 500 participants with new sports this time, so they will bigger and better games and they were great last time,” said Orillia mayor Steve Clarke.
New events added to the lineup are biathlon, field hockey, futsal and karate. The original goal in 2018 to recruit volunteers was 500. That was surpassed with 800 people pitching in the help. The main objective right now is to sign up volunteers and the organizing committee has set a goal of 700.
“I’ll tell you what’s neat is you go Midland, Barrie, Collingwood, Huntsville, everywhere you go there are Orillians there that are volunteering and they are amazing ambassadors and they are excited to be there,” said Clarke.
People can sign up to volunteer now online. Developments and progress of getting the games ready for opening day Feb. 27, 2020 can be followed on Facebook.
The 2018 Games were beneficial to the local economy by pumping $4.2 million dollars into it. The province granted $1 million to the City to host the 2018 games, and the City under spent the budget and got to keep the extra money, which is being used to buy a video score board for the Orillia Recreation Centre.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia)
