Thousands of smiles and cheers as the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games officially begin

Greg Cole and Cpl. Jennifer Cooper proudly display the Flame of Hope, and the lit torch signifying the official start of the provincial games.

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As the Flame of Hope lit the torch, signifying the official start of the games, deafening cheers rung throughout the CN Centre, as the 1200 athletes visiting Prince George for the games had a memorable opening ceremony to start the fun.

“We are so excited for opening ceremonies and for competing. Our athletes have worked hard all year long. They’re stoked, they’re thrilled, they’re ready to go,” said Head Coach of the Region 7 Swimming Team Gale Jones.

“I haven’t been to an opening ceremony like this for a while, so it’s exciting,” said Region 7 Swimmer Kaylee Richter.

“We’re connecting with people, friends of ours that we haven’t seen in a while, and it’s just been exciting, everybody getting together tonight,” added Region 6 Soccer Player Shaun O’Leary.

The Opening Ceremony drew a large crowd as hundreds of supporters cheered the athletes on, and among them was Premier David Eby, who was right there on the floor with the athletes cheering them on and giving them high fives.

Premier David Eby was happy to be on the floor with the athletes as they celebrated the start of the provincial games.

“There are things that give me the energy that I love, that are so inspiring about this place we call home, about British Columbia, about this amazing province we live in, in this incredible country of Canada. You athletes here tonight, the practicing that you’ve done, the commitment and the spirit that you’ve brought, the support for each other, the love of your communities and your families that you’re carrying here: I feel it in my heart. All British Columbians do,” Eby said.

The joy and energy was contagious in the CN Centre, and the happiness and sense of community that brought everyone together is what Special Olympics is really about. It’s not just a great opportunity for athletes with intellectual disabilities to enjoy sports, it’s about bringing the community together and celebrating these athletes and their commitment.

“It’s wonderful, it’s not so much just about the athletes, it’s about the families that get together across the community in the same hopes and wishes for their children and for the community. This inclusion thing is really alive tonight, and I think that is very exciting,” O’Leary said.

The Opening Ceremony is also a showcase of Prince George itself, and events like these continue to grow Prince George’s reputation as a fantastic and inclusive host city. Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport Spencer Chandra Herbert says he’s certainly loved what he’s seen from Prince George.

“It’s just an exciting place to be, and I think people in the rest of B.C. and the world should recognize that there’s way more to discover here than they ever would think. If they think they know Prince George, if they think they know the north, they don’t know it, because I keep discovering new things that I want to do,” he said.

“If they’ve been to Prince George once, they will come back a second or third or fourth time and get to see the wider region,” he continued, discussing opportunities for further growing Prince George tourism.

The games themselves get underway on July 11, and the Opening Ceremony was truly an electric and joyful start to officially have the competitions begin.

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by Tommy Osborne

Thousands of smiles and cheers as the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games officially begin

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