Kamloops will welcome more than 3,000 participants from across British Columbia and Yukon when the 55+ BC Games return to the city Sept. 8–12.
The five-day event will bring together athletes aged 55 and older for competition, recreation and an opportunity to experience Kamloops as the host community.
Ron McCall, president of the 55Plus Games Host Society, said the city’s history of hosting major sporting events helped make it a natural choice for the Games. Kamloops previously hosted the 55+ BC Games in 1996 and 2013, and hosted the Canadian 55+ Games in 2022.
“This is the third time we have hosted the BC 55+ Games,” McCall said. “This is part of the tradition of Kamloops being involved in the Tournament Capital program.”
The Games are organized through a partnership between the local host society and the BC Seniors Games Society, a volunteer-based charitable organization responsible for the overall governance of the event.
The province is divided into 12 zones, which recruit and register participants. Depending on the sport, participants either register directly or compete in zone playdowns to earn a place at the Games.
Kamloops organizers have selected the sports and recruited chairs to oversee each event, working with the BC Seniors Games organization to develop competitions and register participants.
This year’s Games will feature a new sport, cornhole. Yukon will also participate for the first time as part of the provincial Games.
McCall said the response to this year’s event has already been strong, with more than 3,000 people registered. Hockey, darts, cribbage, and pickleball are among the sports drawing particularly large contingents.
“We have the largest contingent participating in hockey. We have one of the largest contingents in darts. We have a huge contingent playing cribbage, and we have a huge contingent playing pickleball,” he said.
The event is supported by local and provincial sponsors, while the BC Seniors Games Society receives funding through the provincial government’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport. Local Friends of the Games contributors also support the event.
Hosting the Games represents an estimated $3 million economic impact for a host community and the surrounding area.
For Kamloops, McCall said the city’s facilities, community support, and experienced volunteers are key strengths.
“Kamloops has always been a very good leader in being able to put on events such as these,” he said.
The BC Seniors Games Society was established in 1987 with assistance from the Recreation and Sport Branch. The organization was founded on the premise that sport and recreation opportunities for seniors could contribute to quality of life across the province.
McCall expects that need to grow as more baby boomers enter their senior years.
“As the population grows or as the baby boomers come into this era, there are people who want to remain active and now further understand that it’s very healthy to be active in many ways,” he said. “We see the Senior Games growing a great deal in the next 10 to 15 years.”
The 55+ BC Games will run throughout Kamloops from Sept. 8–12, continuing the province’s annual tradition of celebrating sport and active living among older adults.