Parts of the Canada Summer Games facility will be named after the Walker Family and Walker Industries, following a $3 million contribution to the sports arena, Niagara Region revealed today during a well-visited media conference.
Gathered outside the region’s headquarters, with crews working on the multi-million dollar facility in the background, Mayors Terry Ugulini and Walter Sendzik appeared alongside Ontario’s minister of tourism Lisa MacLeod and a large group from the games committee to acknowledge the contribution from the family, which will see the sports- and recreational complex named “Walker Sports and Abilities Centre,” as well as the front-facing plaza named “Walker Founders Plaza.”
Calling the facility ‘a shining example for the community of the power of partnership,’ Walker Industries CEO Geordie Walker said he was proud to unveil his familys involvement with the games park to provide opportunities for encouraging top athletes to compete, as well as improving both physical- and mental health for those who will use the facility once the games are concluded.
“This particular facility will make an impact on the community for a long time,” said Walker before unveiling the plaque, adding the facility to the laundry list of institutions and partnerships that bears the Walker’s name in Niagara.
Thorold Mayor Terry Ugulini credited the work of the senior leadership in the city, including CAO Manoj Dilwaria, Public works director Geoff Holman as well as Economic development manager Marco Marino as key players in the citys involvement in the facility.
“It is only fitting, since we stand here on the international plaza, in the city of Thorold, that I open with ‘Welcome to the new GTA, the Greater Thorold Area,” Ugulini said in his opening comments.
Ugulini said that the impact of the summer games, pushed to 2022 due to the pandemic, will continue long after the event concludes.
“It will allow us to hold world class events and expand sports-tourism in Niagara.”
“This is a true sign of progress, when we as a city is no longer operating in isolation, but working together with the private sector, the region, post secondary institutions, and neighbouring municipalities. By doing this we will be able to offer our residents amenities that otherwise would have been cost-prohibited in a stand-alone business model.”
The 210,000 sq.ft. facility will consist of a sport performance centre, a health and well-being centre, a twin-pad arena, a 200-metre indoor walking and running track, sport offices and a multipurpose fieldhouse with a parasport gymnasium.
The region also says six competition beach volleyball courts and a 400-metre international track and field facility will be located outside.
The project is expected to have undergone substantial completion by Oct 6, 2021, and construction fully completed by the end of January 2022.
