The B.C. Summer Games came to a close on Sunday with relatively clear conditions after poor air quality postponed some events on Thursday.
When smoke from wildfires enveloped the city of Kelowna, B.C. Summer Games organizers quickly went to Plan B, with some events being postponed and a planned march of athletes from the curling club to Prospera Place requiring buses instead.
2026 B.C. Summer Games president Devin Rubadeau said organizers had to work quickly to ensure the health and well-being of the athletes.
“What we did on the day of the opening ceremonies was really throw the playbook out and look at what the priorities for us were, which was standard of care, looking at the athletes and volunteers, ensuring the volunteers weren’t exposed for any significant amount of time to the air conditions.”
Rubadeau added that the B.C. Summer Games are more than just a competition.
“The sport experience, the competition, is an element of the Games. It’s not entirely the Games. We want them to come to our community and recognize that Kelowna and the Central Okanagan is the place to be, that the people who live here and the systems we have in place are ideal and that, fundamentally, we are a welcoming community. In this case, we welcome them with open arms.”
The Summer Games had more than 2,000 volunteers, which Rubadeau said was amazing to see.
“The thing that resonates with me the most is the number of volunteers who came down and had a volunteer experience that was so empowering for them.”
