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City casts initial support behind bid to co-host major sporting event

No cost to city yet for bid that would see Guelph co-host with Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge
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The city will cautiously move forward with support of a bid that could see Guelph co-host the Canada Summer Games in 2021.

The Regional Sports Tourism Office made a pitch to the city's Public Services Committee Monday, asking for support for the bid. The committee did and it will now go to full council for its approval.

"Awesome. Let's go for it. Bring it on," said Mayor Cam Guthrie after the presentation.

The RSTO is a joint venture between Guelph, Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge formed to try and attract sports tourism to the region.

Representatives of the office told the committee that kayaking and rowing on Guelph Lake, athletics at the University of Guelph and indoor events at the Sleeman Centre could all be possible.

The Canada Summer Games are held every four years. They feature 19 different sports, 3,500 athletes and an estimated 20,000 spectators.

The report presented to the city on Monday said the Prince George, B.C., brought $83 million to the region.

The University of Guelph, Grand River Conservation Authority and local sports clubs have all been contacted about the interest and their possible roles in the bid process.

Sherry Doiron, manager of the RSTO, told the committee that at this point there was no real risk in applying to host, as the $20,000 application fee will come out of the RSTO budget.

The first step would see Canada Games officials evaluate written bids to make sure they fit the technical requirements to host the games.

In July the bid committee will notify between three and five applicants that they are in the final selection group. Site visits and further evaluations would take place.

The successful applicant will be chosen in April 2017.

If things progress, council would be notified of any potential costs moving forward.

"Should we enter phase II, staff would come back to council with costs/revenues," Doiron said.

The games tend to use existing facilities and take place in small cities where "they embrace the athletes and make it feel like their Olympic moment," Doiron said.

She said organizers don't want their athletes or the event "lost in the hum of a big city."

Previous hosts include Prince George, Sherbrooke, Halifax, Prince Edward Island and Regina.


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Tony Saxon

About the Author: Tony Saxon

Tony Saxon has had a rich and varied 30 year career as a journalist, an award winning correspondent, columnist, reporter, feature writer and photographer.
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