Turning residence halls into an athletes’ village. Cooking specially designed menus for peak athletic performance. Readying campus for competitions expected to draw thousands.
Western staff have been preparing for months ahead of the Ontario Summer Games, which begin in London, Ont. Aug. 1.
The Games are expected to draw about 10,000 people including athletes, coaches and spectators to the city and many Western facilities. The four-day athletic event features athletes from eight to 18 competing in a wide range of individual and team sports, from volleyball to golf to table tennis.
“Preparations for the Games start with the right people. Western put together an organizing committee with staff from all over campus to ensure everything was covered – all aspects, ranging from hospitality, sports facilities, parking and campus police were engaged,” said Mike Zaigh, assistant manager of conference services at Western.
The Ontario Summer Games are held every two years in different Ontario cities. London, Ont. last hosted in 2018 and the event was expected to return in 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic postponed it twice. This year’s competition runs Aug. 1 to 4 at sites across the city, with Western hosting the opening ceremony, multiple sporting events and providing accommodations for many athletes.
“Western has been a significant partner in this event from the very start, all the way from the bid to site visits to actually pulling all the pieces together and hosting.” -Zanth Jarvis, director of sport tourism at Tourism London
“It truly feels like a city effort and a Western effort; it’s been a great collaboration. We’re excited to be welcoming all these athletes to our facilities. I have no doubt they’ll have a great experience when it comes to food, beverage and accommodations, as Western hosts more than this number of people in residence every day during the school year,” Jarvis added.
Western’s residence buildings will be operating like a hotel, with front desks staffed 24 hours a day and dorm rooms equipped with bed linens, towels and amenities for the athletes’ village, said Cliff Fielder, associate director of conference services.
A careful menu has been designed to fuel the athletes and includes diet accommodations such as vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, halal and lactose-free options.
Running on volunteer power
A large team of more than 400 volunteers was assembled by the local organizing committee. Western also provided space for volunteer training, Fielder said.
Teams began meeting monthly, before ramping up to weekly meetings in the last month to review all final logistics and operational plans for the large-scale event. The Games are expected to provide a $5-million economic boost as the athletes, their coaches and families pour into London.
It also gives Western another chance to connect with the wider community, a priority for the university.
“With any event hosted at Western we expose potential students to our programs, faculties, and facilities,” Fielder said. “We are truly promoting Western provincially and nationally.”
Jarvis added, “We’re really just excited to showcase our community, including Western’s campus and community, and all the area has to offer.”
