The lawn of the Legislative Buildings was transformed into a sport hub at noon today as Special Olympics athletes played alongside MLAs in a series of bocce matches.

With the Special Olympics Canada 2014 Summer Games just over a month away, MLAs, including Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Coralee Oakes, joined Special Olympics athletes from Victoria and other Vancouver Island communities to play a few games.

The Government of British Columbia is supporting the Special Olympics Canada 2014 Summer Games with $300,000 in funding.

The Special Olympics Canada 2014 Summer Games will be held in Vancouver at the University of British Columbia from July 8-12, 2014. The Games will be the largest in Canadian history, featuring 11 sports and attracting 1,700 athletes, coaches and mission staff from across the country. A further 1000 volunteers will be involved in the Games. Sports include athletics, basketball, bocce, 5- and 10-pin bowling, golf, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, soccer, softball and swimming.

Quotes:

Coralee Oakes, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development -

“B.C.’s Special Olympics athletes are an inspiring and amazingly skilled group of athletes who taught us all so much today. I know they will do our province proud at the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games this July in Vancouver, and I wish them all the best of luck.”

Dan Howe, president and CEO, Special Olympics BC -

“This is a very exciting time for Special Olympics in B.C. as our largest-ever provincial team is getting set for the first Special Olympics Canada Games in our province in 24 years, and we have grown to include more than 4,300 athletes with intellectual disabilities participating in our year-round programs province-wide. None of this would be possible without the Government of British Columbia’s significant ongoing support of Special Olympics, both financially and in opening doors for us to continue improving our sport programs, the health of our athletes, and community inclusion.”

Quick Facts:

• Special Olympics Canada was established in 1969.
• The Government of British Columbia is providing over $50 million in sport funding in 2014-15.
• Since 2001, the Government of British Columbia has invested over $1 billion in sport.

(flickr.com)

Learn More:

Special Olympics Canada 2014 Summer Games: http://www.vancouver2014.com/

Media Contacts:

Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
250 888-1462

Megan Grittani-Livingston
Manager, Communications
Special Olympics British Columbia
778 233-0730