The Municipality of Leamington is providing clarification regarding Council’s recent decision to support a bid by Rose City Gymnastics to host the 2027 Ontario Gymnastics Championships at the Nature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre.
Council’s decision confirms facility availability and enables Rose City Gymnastics to proceed with its application to Gymnastics Ontario to be considered as the host community.
This positions Leamington to host a major provincial championship event, bringing thousands of athletes, families, and visitors to the community and generating significant economic activity for local hotels, restaurants, and businesses.
To support the bid, Council approved the early removal of ice at Highbury Canco Arena beginning March 24, 2027, allowing time to convert the facility for the proposed championship event scheduled April 7 to April 11, 2027.
At the same time, the Municipality is actively exploring options to cover the ice surface, with the goal of allowing this and similar events to proceed without removing the ice, minimizing impacts to arena users wherever possible, and maximizing the use of municipal facilities.
If the bid is unsuccessful, the ice will remain in place and arena operations will continue as usual. Under normal seasonal operations, ice typically remains in the arena until May 1.
Opportunity to Host a Provincial Event
The Ontario Gymnastics Championships represent the highest level of provincial gymnastics competition in Ontario, bringing athletes from across the province to compete.
If successful, the event is expected to attract approximately 1,200 athletes, along with 3,000 to 5,000 spectators over the course of the multi-day competition, with roughly 90 percent travelling from outside Windsor-Essex.
As a major multi-day sporting event, the championships would bring significant tourism activity to Leamington, with visitors staying in local hotels and supporting restaurants, shops, and other businesses throughout the region.
The Nature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre is one of only two venues in Windsor-Essex capable of accommodating an event of this scale, making Leamington uniquely positioned to host a provincial championship of this size.
Impact on Arena Users
Some public commentary has suggested that this decision will eliminate access to ice for the Leamington Flyers or other local hockey organizations. The Municipality wishes to clarify that this is not the case.
The Leamington Flyers’ regular season typically concludes in late February, with playoffs beginning in early March. Should the team advance into the later rounds of the playoffs, any potential overlap with the event period would be limited and managed in coordination with the team.
In that circumstance, the Municipality would work closely with the team and other user groups to identify suitable alternative arrangements, including, if appropriate, using Unico Arena or another appropriate facility, and would proactively coordinate with affected groups to minimize disruption wherever possible.
Status of Facility Agreement with the Leamington Flyers
The Municipality continues to engage with the Leamington Flyers regarding a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) intended to formalize the team’s use of municipal facilities. The agreement was anticipated to be finalized in the fall of 2025; however, it has not yet been signed by the Leamington Flyers, and discussions remain ongoing.
At this time, the Municipality has not received confirmation regarding the team’s plans for the 2026–2027 season. This uncertainty was one of several factors Council considered when reviewing the request to support the championship bid.
The Municipality remains committed to continuing discussions with the Leamington Flyers and working collaboratively with all arena user groups.
Supporting Community Sports and Tourism
The Municipality of Leamington values the important role that hockey, gymnastics, and many other sports play in the community. Council’s decision reflects the need to balance the interests of multiple user groups while also pursuing opportunities that bring visitors, economic activity, and provincial-level events to Leamington.
The Municipality will continue working with Rose City Gymnastics, arena user groups, and community partners as the bid process moves forward.
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