Parasport Games will keep on giving
Like the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, the staging of the Niagara 2025 Ontario Parasport Games in late spring will leave a lasting legacy.
It will be accomplished thanks to the creation of the Niagara Para Games Legacy Fund.
“I have certainly been involved in envisioning that and what a wonderful opportunity it is for the region,” said Jeff Tiessen, a three-time Paralympian and Steering Committee Lead for the Parasport Games. “The Games are an exciting two- or three-day event here but then what? You turn off the lights and roll up the carpet, so to speak. We are really excited about building upon excellence that is already here in the region by creating more opportunities in different sports for athletes and potential athletes with disabilities.”
The fund will be managed by a board made up of members of Niagara’s disability sport community with oversight from Sport Niagara and the Niagara Community Foundation, which has been operating for more than 22 years. The fund’s goal is to provide financial support for new equipment, programs, awareness, leadership training, and inclusion education. It will be supported by the surplus generated by the Parasport Games and local donations.
Tiessen, a member of the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame, is not exactly sure how the fund will be utilized at this point in time.
“We are working on that, but at a higher level we certainly want to: increase new opportunities and that may be bringing new parasports to the region; and, increase access to participation and that might include having an inventory or a locker of adaptive sports equipment that can be quite expensive for some to try the sport out or participate on an ongoing basis,” he said. “A good example of that is the existing Niagara sledge hockey league that has a locker of 40 sledges and sticks that participants can use without having to make that $1,200-$1,300 investment.”
Like many sports organizations, the parasport community struggles to find financial support.
“I was the executive director for Parasport Ontario for five years and during that time we created a provincial fund, called the Play to Podium Fund. I don’t want it to compete with the one in this story but the point being is we gave companies, businesses and individuals an opportunity to contribute to something tangible like the fund so they can see the benefit of those donations,” Tiessen said. “It is definitely needed and for people with disabilities, sports can be even more expensive and an obstacle for participation. We don’t want that to be a barrier.”
Dan Kennedy, the executive director of Sport Niagara, said his group is proud to create the fund in partnership with the Niagara Community Foundation.
“Sport Niagara, as the legacy organization of the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, is excited to have been awarded the opportunity to welcome Ontario’s Para Athletes to compete in Niagara. Our vision is to leave a lasting and sustained legacy for our disability sport community,” he said. “Importantly, this partnership with the NCF will ensure that the Niagara Para Games Legacy Fund is positioned for continued growth through investment and future contributions. These contributions will be critical to the long-term success of the fund and its programming.”
The Niagara Community Foundation helps connect donors to causes, and charities to resources. This is done through the creation of permanent endowment funds, like the Niagara Para Games Legacy Fund.
“After the success of the 2022 Canada Summer Games, our region is extremely fortunate and excited to welcome the Ontario Parasport Games to Niagara in May 2025, hosted by Sport Niagara,” said Bryan Rose, the executive director of the Niagara Community Foundation. “NCF continues our proud partnership with Sport Niagara in our shared stewardship of the 2022 Games. We are honoured to extend this collaboration and for the opportunity to a Niagara Para Games Legacy Fund. The endowment fund will create annualized revenue that we know will have an enduring impact and provide vital funding for adaptive sports here in Niagara in the years to come and the generations ahead.”
The Parasport Games are being funded by Ontario’s Ministry of Sport and Sport Niagara.
“On behalf of the Ontario government, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Sport Niagara and the Niagara Community Foundation for sharing our commitment to growing opportunities for participation in sport for people of all abilities,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport. “The creation of the Niagara Para Games Legacy Fund will ensure that people continue to benefit from the 2025 Ontario Parasport Games for years to come.”
The 44th edition of the Parasport Games will be held May 29 until June 1 and feature 400-500 athletes competing in 10-plus events. Tiessen encourages everyone to come out and enjoy the action.
“It is a competition and these are some of the best athletes in the province. Some of these athletes will represent Canada on different teams internationally and at future Paralympics,” he said. “There is always a great spirit around these Games of camaraderie and energy. Also, there are sports you are not going to see anywhere else like goal ball which is an incredibly, exciting sport for athletes who have vision loss. There is an opportunity to see something unique.”
