At next week’s meeting, Prince George city council will be voting on whether or not to submit a bid to host the 2025 Special Olympics British Columbia (SOBC) Summer Games.
About 1,400 athletes, coaches, along with hundreds of friends and family typically journey from all over the province and the Yukon to the host community for the SOBC Summer Games.
There are eight sports offered in the Summer SOBC including basketball, bocce, golf, rhythmic gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, softball, swimming, and track and field and more than 1,000 local volunteers would be part of the event.
Prince George has not hosted a Special Olympics since 2001.
The city says successfully hosting a SOBC Games could potentially position the city to bid on and possibly host a winter Canadian Special Olympics Games in 2028.
The city says the estimated economic return from the SOBC event is approximately $1,300,000 and the event operates very similarly to the BC Games.
However, the SOBC Games relies heavily upon the relationship with the local school district to deliver the games.
The City of Kamloops said when they hosted in 2017, their local school district played a key role in expenses minimal by providing transportation including drivers, accommodations and sport venues at no charge to SOBC.
The City of Prince George says it’s had preliminary discussions with School District 57 and a formal request for support would follow should council approve pursuing this bid.
SOBC organizing committee works to facilitate the event with an estimated $375,000 budget and SOBC brings in its own provincial partners and about $15,000 in registration fees.
SOBC is also responsible for all financial liabilities and if there is a surplus, SOBC would leave a legacy with Prince George’s local SOBC group.
Typically, the Host Community contributes up to $35,000 cash and $60,000 value-in-kind (facility rentals etc.). In the event that the city’s bid is successful, administration recommends that the Major Events Reserve be used to fund the cash and value-in-kind commitment.
Council will vote on the recommendation to pursue the bid at the Jan. 10 public council meeting.
SOBC allows athletes with intellectual disabilities will show that they are able to succeed and to inspire and there are more than 5,200 Special Olympics BC athletes of all ages, from two to 90, and a wide range of abilities.
