The Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games announced on December 5 that it has awarded a $90-million contract to Brampton-based Aquicon Construction for delivery of two of the games’ principal venues: the Canada Games Park and the Henley Rowing Centre.

“This is yet another significant milestone in our preparation for the Games,” explained Doug Hamilton, chair of the Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games Host Society. “We look forward to working with Aquicon to develop facilities that will not only greatly enhance the 2021 Canada Games, but will also leave a critical legacy for many years after the Games.”

Construction will begin immediately. Steve Katzman, chief marketing and revenue officer for the Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games explains that while construction work may extend beyond the games themselves, the venues are scheduled to be games-ready by the middle of August 2021.

Precise details about the scopes of work for each project are not yet available. The games’ website indicates that Canada Games Park will be located at Brock University, south of the main campus. The facility will include a sport and abilities centre indoors consisting of two ice pads, a para-sport gymnasium with four courts, a health and wellbeing centre and a 200m track. Outdoors, there will be six beach volleyball courts and an athletics facility.

The new Henley Rowing Centre in Port Dalhousie will include training facilities, a medical room and accessible change rooms—all things the current course lacks.

Aquicon has long experience building in Niagara, having built the Gale Centre in Niagara Falls and the Vale Health and Wellness Centre in Port Colborne. The former being a four-pad hockey facility and the latter being a multi-use recreational facility that houses ice rinks, a fitness centre and a pool.

Aquicon was also responsible for the multi-million-dollar transformation of Niagara College’s Welland Campus, a massive construction project that significantly expanded the College’s programming. And, in 2005 Aquicon completed construction of the $24 million dollar MacBain Community Centre in Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls mayor Jim Diodati said the city’s experience with Aquicon was top notch. “Aquicon was very good to work with and I’m confident they will do an excellent job building the 2021 Canada Summer Games facilities in Niagara.”

“The biggest thing for us is adding something to the community,” said Aquicon president Daniel Aquino. “When you can tag yourself onto the flagship project of something like the Canada Summer Games, it’s pretty special.”

Aquicon was formed in 1986, and currently has several athletic facility projects on the go with many more successfully completed over the years.

“We are committed to completing the Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games project on time and on budget, and to that end will draw from Niagara’s trades and labour as much as we possibly can,” added Aquino.