Annual Lieutenant Governor Games set for Variety Village this Friday

Variety Village in southwest Scarborough will be hosting the 36th annual Lieutenant Governor Games on Friday, Feb. 23.

This year, it will be the first time that the Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, will be presiding over the event.

More than 800 children from across the Greater Toronto Area will have the opportunity to participate in this year’s games.

The Lieutenant Governor Games were established in 1983 by the Honourable John Black Aird, the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

Since then, seven Lieutenant Governors have continued the tradition of hosting the Games at Variety Village on Danforth Avenue, east of Birchmount Road.

The annual event will be hosted by Tom Brown, former CTV weather anchor.

The games aim to promote pathways to participation, physical activity, and social initiatives for youth of all abilities.

It serves as an introduction to accessible and inclusive sports and recreation for students with disabilities and their peers.

The Lieutenant Governor Games provide a fun and carnival-like atmosphere where children of various abilities can engage in adapted cooperative and competitive activities.

Variety Village President and CEO, Karen Stintz, expressed her excitement about the upcoming games in a news release.

“We are thrilled to have Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont presiding over the games. This is a wonderful opportunity for children to come together and enjoy a day of inclusive sports and recreation.”

More than 30 schools will be participating in the one-day event, engaging in a wide range of adapted games, sports, sensory activities, and recreational pursuits.

Some of the activities include wheelchair basketball, dance, golf, bocci, floor curling, baseball, and many more.

As the games come to a close, each child will receive a participation medal from the Lieutenant Governor.