Orillia to Co-Host 2014 Ontario Winter Games

The Sunshine City will host three sports during the 2014 Ontario Winter Games.

Orillia will partner with communities from Muskoka to host the annual event that will feature 28 sports and more than 2,300 athletes.  “It is the largest multi-sport games in the province, said Paul Barnetson, sport program supervisor.

The event runs from Feb 27 to March 2, 2014.  “Tentatively, the sports that the city have been asked to host are figure skating, curling and wheelchair curling,” said Barnetson. “Additionally, the athletes from diving, squash and five-pin bowling will also be accommodated in the Orillia athletes village,” he added.

The winter games committee is asking that Orillia pay a one-time funding fee of $5,000, with no commitment to funding any cost overruns.  “It’s the one-time funding fee and that’s it,” Barnetson added.  Barnetson said volunteers would be recruited from local sports groups and the community at-large to assist with the games.

“The sports that we are looking at hosting here in Orillia will bring about 450 athletes and probably about another 120 coaching staff,” he said. “The economic impact will be very strong.”  He said the winter games organizing committee is considering hosting bowling in Coldwater, and diving and squash in Barrie.  “Strictly because there are no other facilities either in Muskoka or Orillia that can host it,” Barnetson said. “Bowling is the same issue.”
The athletes’ village will likely be situated at one of the resorts outside Orillia, “where all the athletes and their coaches and team members will stay at,” he added.

“The parents, fans, friends … will stay at motels within the city of Orillia itself,” he said.  Barnetson said officials from Muskoka initially approached Orillia to determine its interest in participating.  “We really have the only accessible curling club in the area,” he said. “That sort of opened the door and started the discussions.”