Countdown is on for 55+ Games in Steinbach

The Pat Porter Centre is preparing to welcome the province, as the Manitoba 55+ Games are only a few weeks away.

Athletes from across Manitoba will be in Steinbach to compete in events as different as cribbage and beach volleyball, this year’s demo event. Opening ceremonies for the games will be June 2 at 6 p.m.

Audrey Harder is the executive director of the Pat Porter Active Living Centre and leader in Steinbach for the games. She said everything is on track for a smoothly run event.

“We feel things are just falling into place as they should,” Harder said.

“The city’s been really great as far as having locations for everything and working with other groups in Steinbach.”

Organizers expect more than 1,000 athletes to participate in the 2025 edition of the games. Pickleball has become the most popular sport at the games, and athletes will get a great experience, with some matches taking place inside the newly build Southeast Event Centre.

This is the first time the building has hosted racquet sports, with higher profile events a possibility in the future.

The games won’t just be inside Steinbach city limits, as 8-ball and 9-ball billiards will be at the La Broquerie Hotel. Lawn bowling will also be outside of Steinbach, at the Dakota Lawn Bowling Centre in Winnipeg. Every other event, including swimming, will take place in the Automobile City’s limits.

Harder said people are excited to finally host the 55+ Games again. Steinbach last hosted in 2011, well over a decade ago. This year’s edition of the games was much easier to organize, as the previous games were the last organized by the Manitoba Society of Seniors before the group disbanded. It took a last second scramble for organizers to find volunteers and venues for the event.

The Eastman region hasn’t hosted since the Morris games in 2013 and Beausejour games in 2015.

“People are talking about (the games), it’s local which is really good too,” Harder said.

“To be a part of that is pretty cool. To have people from all over the place coming here, and people here already asking questions all the time.”

The push now turns to getting more volunteers, with Harder guessing they’ll need around 50-75 more to have everything run perfectly.

May 15 is the last date participants can register for events.

“The thing to remember about the games is they’re accessible to everyone,” Harder said.

“There’s card games, there’s arts and crafts. There’s things that are not as physically active, but are still active in some way, socially or mentally.”

When the games finally get underway in the morning of June 3, Harder will be one of those keeping a close eye on how they are going. She compared it to other events like Summer in the City, where organizers get a chance to sit back and witness their plans be executed.

“I hope to feel very well organized but overwhelmed, because that means we have a lot of people coming but we know what we’re doing,” Harder said, laughing.

She also extended an invitation to the entire community to come out to 55+ Games banquet, even if they aren’t involved or competing.

“That’s my favourite part, the dance and dinner part, because I can’t participate in the games,” Harder said with a chuckle.

“Maybe one day, but I’m not quite there yet.”

Anyone looking for more information on the games are encouraged to reach out to the Pat Porter Centre or the 55+ Games itself. More information is available at activeagingmb.ca/events/55games.