GUELPH POLITICAST #379 - Good Games, Great Podcasting

Coming out of the pandemic, the future of sports and recreation has been top of mind because we were all encouraged to get outdoors during the lockdowns. It was the safest, and in some cases only, way to interact with other people and even in these non-lockdown times we’re still jonesing for outdoor experiences. That brings us to the Good Games. Can Guelph be a sports destination in these very sporty times?

Originally called the Guelph Games, the Good Games were all set to go for their inaugural event with athletes coming in from all over Canada and around the world in Summer 2020, and then something happened that spring. The first Good Games were delayed by two years thanks to COVID-19, and while the first games last summer were a bit smaller than originally intended, they definitely made an impression.

The Good Games arrive this year as the City of Guelph is reviewing the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, as the City is also reviewing the development of a tourism and place making strategy, and as the leaders of various sporting groups in Guelph are organizing as an activist body. Those political issues are out of the scope of the Good Games, but you can’t say that it doesn’t play into the consideration of those issues. So as the Good Games get set for their second year, we ask the question: How big can it get?

To answer that, and other questions, we're joined by Good Games president and CEO Helen Stoumbos and chief marketing officer Mike F. Jean. They will talk about how the Games evolved during and since the pandemic, how the Games hope to appeal to even the non-sporty among us, and what the Good Games can tells us about the appeal of Guelph for sports tourism. They will also tell you how you might be able to get involved as we count down to Games' days and what you can expect from this year's events.

So let's talk about why these Games are so Good on this week's Guelph Politicast!

The Good Games take place on Saturday July 8 and Sunday July 9 at the University of Guelph, and to learn more about the events and activities and how to get involved, go to the website. You can also follow the Good Games on Facebook and Twitter, or on Instagram.

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