With just over two weeks left until the kickoff of the 2025 Special Olympics Summer Games in Prince George, organizing committee co-chairs Renee McCloskey and Lyn Hall gave a process update at the Monday, June 23 city council meeting.
Hall, who served as mayor of Prince George from 2014 to 2022, said that with just 17 days until the first round of athletes arrives in the city, he and McCloskey are feeling the pressure to get all the pieces lined up.
McCloskey said that for many of the participating athletes, it’s their first time travelling and competing and it’s exciting for them to have the chance to be celebrated and be part of a team.
The Prince George games, she said, are the BC and Yukon qualifiers for the 2026 Special Olympic Canada Summer Games.
They thanked the city for allowing the use of facilities like the CN Centre and the Aquatic Centre for the games and having city staff assist with event planning.
School District 57 is donating the use of local high schools as dorm-style accommodations for the more than 1,200 athletes, volunteer coaches and mission staff who will come to town for the tournament.
While the pair said that volunteers are needed to sign up online at sobc.ca, they also encouraged locals to come to the event and serve as spectators to cheer the athletes on.
Mayor Simon Yu said he was looking forward to seeing their success and that the city would do whatever it can to support the games.
Coun. Ron Polillo said that AiMHi, which he works for, is supporting around two dozens athletes’ participation in the games.
Coun. Garth Frizzell thanked the organizers for sending an athlete to the Rotary Club to make a presentation on the games.
