9/16/21
by: Niagara Host Society
Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games Celebrates Official Opening Of The Meridian Volunteer Centre
Located at the Pen Centre, the Meridian Volunteer Centre will act as a central hub for Niagara 2022 volunteers and serve as a welcome centre where Niagara residents can inquire about the 28th edition of the Canada Games
September 16, 2021 (Niagara, Ont.) — On Thursday, the Niagara Host Society and Meridian Credit Union celebrated the grand opening of the Meridian Volunteer Centre with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Pen Centre — marking an important milestone event for the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games. In the end, approximately 4,500 volunteers will be required to support all operational areas of next summer’s Canada Games, which are scheduled from August 6-21, 2022 in the Niagara Region.
Operating from September 2021 through to the end of August 2022 at Niagara’s largest retail centre, the Meridian Volunteer Centre will act as a primary hub to engage, recruit and train these volunteers, while also serving as an important welcome centre for local residents from Niagara to inquire about the 2022 Canada Summer Games.
With its first day of operation set for Friday, September 17, the Meridian Volunteer Centre will be open Wednesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., before later extending its days of operation from Tuesdays through Saturdays starting on October 26.
“We are excited to be taking this important step forward in our journey to host the Canada Games,” said Doug Hamilton, Board Chair of the Niagara Host Society. “Given the crucial role that our volunteers and community are going to have on the success of the Games, we are grateful and excited to have this centralized location at the Pen Centre to support the needs of our Meridian Volunteer Program and to connect with Niagara residents.”
“The Meridian Volunteer Centre will resonate loudly as the heartbeat of the Games as a place for all to congregate together,” said Wade Stayzer, Meridian Chief People and Culture Officer, SVP Business Banking. “As a purpose driven organization, our unifying role to recruit thousands of volunteers from across Niagara and helping to inspire the community to participate and give back is a natural fit. We believe that healthy, resilient communities are built collectively, and everyone can make an important contribution.”
“Creating a world-class event like this takes a great deal of passion, commitment and skill,” added Helen Edwards, Marketing Director for the Pen Centre. “Partnering with the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games by providing a space that their employees and volunteers can utilize as their home base is something that we are very proud to be part of”.
Over 350 planning volunteers have already enlisted in Niagara 2022’s Meridian Volunteer Program (with more of these roles currently available online), and thousands more will soon be given the chance to join the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games team. Specifically, on October 25, the 2022 Canada Summer Games volunteer registration portal will officially open and begin accepting applications online for Games-time volunteer roles that will support areas such as sport operations, transportation, ticketing, food service, and media relations — just to name a few.
Since the first Canada Games took place in Quebec City as part of our country’s centennial celebration in 1967, volunteers have always played an essential role in the delivery and success of Canada’s largest multi-sport event. In total, over 100,000 people have volunteered to help support and deliver all facets of this competition over the course of the Games' 50-plus year history.
About the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games
At the peak of Niagara’s boldest summer yet, more than 5,000 up-and-coming athletes, their coaches and support staff will gather to compete for the podium in Canada’s largest multi-sport event. From August 6 to 21, 2022, Niagara will surge stronger than ever on the national stage. The 2022 Games, made possible thanks to funding and support from the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, the Niagara Region, and the Canada Games Council, will give rise to new legacies of ambition, confidence, and compassion that will inspire generations to come.
For further information, visit us at niagara2022games.ca or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (@2022canadagames).
Media Contact:
Christopher Séguin, Media & Communications Manager
289.880.4005
About Meridian Credit Union
With more than 75 years of banking history, Meridian is Ontario’s largest credit union, and second largest in Canada, helping to grow the lives of 375,000 Members. Meridian has $27.2 billion in assets under management (as at June 30, 2021) and delivers a full range of financial services online, by phone, by mobile and through a network of 89 branches across Ontario, and business banking services in 15 locations. Meridian cardholders also have access to over 43,000 surcharge-free ABMs in North America with THE EXCHANGE® Network and the Allpoint Network in the US. For more information, please visit: meridiancu.ca, follow us on Twitter @MeridianCU or visit us on Facebook
Media contact:
Teresa Pagnutti, Public Relations, Meridian
416-275-3816
