With an exceptional line-up of top-tier presenters and performers with disabilities, the Opening Ceremony will kick-off Niagara’s 2025 Ontario Parasport Games at Canada Games Park in Thorold on Friday May 30 at 7:00 p.m.
For the first time in the 44-year-history of the Ontario Parasport Games, it is the Niagara Region that welcomes athletes, managers, coaches, officials, and volunteers to this prestigious provincial event.
Sport Niagara, the not-for-profit organization established to carry on the sport legacy from the Niagara-hosted 2022 Canada Games, was selected as the host of 2025 Ontario Parasport Games.
“As a 12-time participant in the Ontario Parasport Games, it’s been a tremendous honour to lead the Steering Committee for these Games with includes so much lived-experience and expertise from the Niagara Region’s disability community,” says three-
time Paralympian, Niagara resident, and Chair of the Games, Jeff Tiessen.
“The Opening Ceremony is no exception, with an exclusive ensemble of extraordinary talent from the disability community, a first for these Games.”
The Niagara 2025 Ontario Parasport Games was made possible with funding and support from the Government of Ontario and Sport Niagara. The Honourable Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport, will bring well wishes from The Province to the 250+athletees who will parade into the Opening Ceremony.
The Ontario Parasport Games were first delivered in 1975 by the City of Cambridge. The Games have grown to 10+ sports including athletics, wheelchair basketball, boccia, goalball, sitting volleyball, wheelchair tennis, paragolf and more. The last Ontario Parasport Games were held in Durham in 2023. The 2025 Games in Niagara is the 44th edition of the prestigious provincial event for Ontario athletes with a disability.
“The Ontario Parasport Games is a celebration of athletic excellence, resilience and community,” notes Minister Lumsden. “I am proud to support an event that not only showcases the incredible talents of athletes with disabilities but also highlights the power of inclusion and determination. Congratulations to Sport Niagara for hosting these historic Games and to all the athletes.”
The Opening Ceremony is a free show open to the public.
“The difference from my time (as an athlete in the games) is the representation of people with disabilities in the planning of these games, on the steering committee,, we created an athlete council in the 44 years of the history of these games,” added Tiessen.
These really are a games for us, but not without us, and that I’m pretty proud of.”
For the 2025 Ontario Parasport Games competition schedule visit: https://niagara2025ontarioparasportgames.ca/en/schedule
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
