Mississauga Welcomes Amateur Athletes to the Ontario Summer Games

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 14, 2016) - Athletes from across Ontario are preparing for the 2016 Ontario Summer Games being held in Mississauga, August 11 to 14.

"We are proud to be hosting the biggest Ontario Games in history and showcasing all that our great city has to offer," said Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie. "We look forward to cheering on the athletes as they bring their energy and passion to the Games and share in our community spirit."

Mississauga is ready to welcome more than 3,500 athletes, ages 12 to 18, along with 500 officials, 700 coaches and managers as well as spectators from across the province.

"The Ontario Summer Games prepares young athletes for all levels of sport competitions," said Eleanor McMahon, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. "The Games are a highpoint for many aspiring athletes who have their sights set on sporting achievements such as the Pan Am Games or Olympics. I look forward to celebrating with the athletes as they make all of Ontario proud this summer."

There are a total of 34 sport events taking place over four days throughout Mississauga and surrounding municipalities such as Brampton, Caledon, Etobicoke, Innisfil and Welland.

"The City of Mississauga has done an exemplary job in preparing for Ontario's largest multi-sport event," said Peter Fonseca, Ontario Summer Games Chair, former Olympian and Member of Parliament for Mississauga East-Cooksville. "City staff along with more than 1,000 volunteers have been hard at work to make these Games a success. We want all athletes to have positive memories they can bring home with them."

Crombie added, "Mississauga's ability to host events of this scale shows our ongoing commitment to developing amateur athletes while providing tourism and economic benefits for the city."

Athletes will go for gold in events such as basketball, hockey, volleyball, sledge hockey, wrestling, weightlifting and cycling. More than 2,000 medals, designed by local artist Tomas Rojcik, will be awarded during the Games. The artist's design is symbolic of Ontario being home for everyone involved in the Games.

The Opening Ceremonies will be held at the Hershey Centre on Thursday, August 11 at 7 p.m.

The 2016 Ontario Summer Games in Mississauga is brought to you by the Province of Ontario, the City of Mississauga and Tourism Toronto.

For a detailed list of competitions, locations, news and updates about the Games, visit: osgmississauga.ca. Follow the Ontario Summer Games on Twitter and use the hashtag #Bringithome. Media resources including pictures, videos, logos, social media content, schedules and editorial content are available online in the OSG Media Room.

BACKGROUND:

Games Ontario

The Ontario Summer Games is supported by the Ontario Government, through its Games Ontario program. This program delivers or supports multi-sport events, including the Ontario Winter and Summer Games for youth, the Ontario 55+ Summer and Winter Games, the Ontario ParaSport Games, the 2017 North American Indigenous Games and the 2017 Invictus Games.

Supporting Ontario sporting events is part of Game ON - The Ontario Government's Sport Plan, which is encouraging as many people as possible to play organized sports, helping Ontario's high-performance athletes pursue excellence and promoting increased tourism and economic development.

Mississauga 2016 Ontario Summer Games

The City of Mississauga is the official host for the 2016 Ontario Summer Games, taking place August 11 to 14, 2016. The Mississauga 2016 Ontario Summer Games are the largest multi-sport event in Games history. More than 3,500 athletes from across the province will arrive in Mississauga to compete in individual and team events. More than 500 coaches and managers, 700 officials and sports fans will also be attending the Games. The majority of the Games will be held at 17 Mississauga venues and a few other neighbouring municipalities: Brampton, Caledon, Etobicoke, Innisfil and Welland.

About the City of Mississauga

As Canada's sixth largest city, Mississauga is home to 752,000 residents and more than 54,000 businesses, including more than 60 Fortune 500 companies with Canadian head offices or major divisional head offices. A diverse, progressive and award-winning municipality located on the shores of Lake Ontario in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area. Mississauga is focused on delivering services, implementing its Strategic Plan, delivering value for money and maintaining infrastructure.

A video is available at the following address: https://youtu.be/41-fgWGQ5yk