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To Go To Kingston
Collingwood Loses Bid To Host Games
Collingwood Considers
Hosting Future Games
The Town of Collingwood and surrounding region hosted the 2008 Ontario Paralympic Winter Games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday February 15th, 16th and 17th. Seven sports made up the three-day Provincial Championship including Alpine Skiing, Para Nordic Skiing, Wheelchair Curling, Sledge Hockey, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Rubgy and Swimming. Collingwood's Chris Stoutenberg, a double-gold medal winning athlete, acted as Honourary Chair for the 2008 Para Games
Despite the huge success of the 2008 Collingwood event, the city of Kingston has won the right to hold the 2010 games, now to be known as the Ontario Parasport Championships.
Councilor and Collingwood Ontario Parasport Championships Bid Committee Chairperson Kathy Jeffery told Bayshore Broadcasting that a new facility in Kingston helped that city capture the 2010 event. Jeffery added that Collingwood will consider bidding for the 2012 games, saying that Sport Alliance has made it known that it would like to see Collingwood bid on future events. Sport Alliance awards the bid to host the Ontario Parasport Championships.
Sledge Hockey was an extremely popular event, hosted in Collingwood's Eddie Bush Memorial Arena as a part of the 2008 Ontario Paralympic Winter Games. Renovations to the Collingwood Curling Club allowed Collingwood to host the curling events.
Curling participants at the 2008 Para Games agreed that the interest and participation level in curling and other sports continues to grow quickly throughout Ontario and the country. This is good news for Canadian athletes as the Winter Paralympic Games will be held in Vancouver in 2010.
Renovations To Curling Club Improved Access
The wheelchair Curling Schedule begain at 9am on Friday February 15th, with participants enjoying the facilities that greeted with at the newly renovated Collingwood Curling Club. Prior to the winter games, construction was completed on the new front entrance to the historic building. The renovation saw the installation of an elevator to allow for easy access to the upgraded viewing area for the Paralympic participants.
Visit the ParaSport Ontario web site to learn more about upcoming events.
