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Manitoba Games leave a lasting legacy

The 2026 Manitoba Winter Games powered by Manitoba Hydro wrapped up March 7 in Thompson, but the impact the multi-sport competition had on the northern community will continue to be felt for sometime to come.

This year’s Games brought together more than 1,100 athletes, coaches, managers and officials from across the province for seven days of competition and camaraderie in the so-called Hub of the North. Last time Thompson hosted the Games back in 2018, they helped generate more than $1.7 million in economic activity including a $591,696 boost to the provincial GDP.

As notable as those numbers are, the most enduring impact the event has on a host community is the lasting legacy it leaves behind, says Todd Hardwood, co-executive director of the 2026 Games. To put things in perspective, consider the facility improvements that were conducted in the lead-up to this year’s Games:

• Sound system upgrades to C.A. Nesbitt Arena
• New benches in the dressing rooms at Thompson Regional Community Centre
• The addition of public Wi-Fi at the community centre
• A new scoreboard and shot clocks at Bill Comaskey Gym
• A new gymnasium curtain divider and railing at R.D. Parker Collegiate
• A new ice scraper, rings and measuring devices for Burntwood Curling Club
• A new storage shed and snow machine for trail maintenance at the Thompson Community Ski Trails Cross-Country Ski Trails
• Upgrades to the change rooms at Mystery Mountain Winter Park

“In my opinion, I think the biggest benefit of hosting the Games was we were able to partner with our school division and the City of Thompson to do some really big, public-facing projects,” says Harwood, who shared co-executive director duties for the Games with Cristy Andres.

“The main gym at the high school looks unbelievable. I’m also proud of … how community-run volunteer groups benefited (and) that without the Games they would not have had the financial capacity to do these things. Our curling club is volunteer-run. Same thing with Mystery Mountain. Without the dollars the Games contributed, they might never have been able to do these things.”

Another legacy of this year’s Winter Games will be the creation of a new futsal league in Thompson. Futsal is a fast-paced, five-on-five version of soccer that is played indoors. It was a new addition to this year’s Games lineup, which also featured alpine skiing, archery, badminton, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, gymnastics, hockey, ringette, speed skating and wrestling.

Harwood also points out many of the facility upgrades that were made prior to the 2018 Games in Thompson were still in use at this year’s competition including gymnastics mats and apparatus, improvements to the cross-country ski trails and a gymnasium sound system.

In addition to the physical legacy the Games leave behind, there is also a 
human benefit, adds Harwood, who is 
the principal of Deerwood School in 
Thompson.

“There is an energy that is really hard to explain that comes to your community when you when you host these types of events. There is a buzz in town. You have this natural high that’s hard to duplicate and that’s a real perk if you’re a community that’s thinking about hosting the Games,” he explains.

By hosting the 2026 Manitoba Winter Games, Thompson became the first community to host a provincial Winter Games for a third time (1994, 2018, ’26).

Harwood says there are two main reasons why the city is a suitable host for the event. First, its cooler winter temps allow it to host outdoor events that might not be possible in more southerly locales. More importantly, it has a dedicated volunteer base that is always eager to help. An estimated 700 volunteers, most of whom reside in Thompson, pitched in to make this year’s event possible.

“It’s hard to explain other than there is an energy, there is a buzz, that comes from the kids,” Harwood says of why so many Thompsonites are willing to volunteer their time to help with events like the Games. “They’re super excited to be here and the volunteers kind of feed on it.”
Of course, an event like the Winter Games wouldn’t be possible without the support of corporate partners. This year’s partners included Manitoba Hydro, Calm Air, Manitoba’s Credit Unions, Travel Manitoba and Konica Minolta.

Harwood has some advice for communities that might be considering hosting a future Games.

“I think it’s an unbelievable experience for
a community. The physical legacies are great. But if you’re contemplating hosting, don’t forget about the human stuff. The human benefits of hosting are even better.”