MEDIA RELEASE                                                                                             DATE: May 28th 2021

$150,000 OTF Grant ensures safe operations 

continue at the London Optimist Sports Centre

London, ON –The London Optimist Sports Centre (LOSC) was recently awarded a Resilient Communities Fund grant of $150,000 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). During the pandemic, the Resilient Communities Fund grant helps organizations in their recovery efforts, to build capacity, and to develop resiliency. With this support, the London Optimist Sports Centre can rebuild and recover from impacts of COVID-19 by adapting its programs and protocols to allow for safe participation in physical activity.

Recognizing the grant, Teresa Armstrong, MPP for London-Fanshawe stated “Physical activity and community are so important to our mental health. Many of us have felt the toll of being isolated over the last year. I'm so glad to hear that this grant enabled the LOSC to safely provide service to Londoners again. It feels like we can walk together on the road to recovery again."

LOSC owns and operates the BMO Centre, an indoor sports facility located in London, Ontario. The BMO Centre welcomes thousands of sports enthusiasts weekly during normal operations runs various leagues, programs, and tournaments from age four to adult.

LOSC will use the grant to prepare for the safe return to the facility by completing a COVID-19 safe operating plan and launching a relevant effective marketing campaign. 

"The impact of this Ontario Trillium Foundation grant cannot be underestimated," said Tom Partalas, President and Chief Executive Officer of the London Optimist Sports Centre operator of the BMO Centre. "This grant has allowed a needed boost to bring the Centre into compliance with all COVID-19 safety protocols. Thanks to the $150,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, we can re-open to serve our community."

The funding also allows LOSC to purchase equipment and supplies to adapt the space to deliver its services safely and re-imagine its programs to meet the community's needs. Among coming projects: the development of a youth master program and the building an indoor training zone and virtual room.

LOSC is committed to preserving this space and ensuring that it remains accessible for many community activities over the course of the year. If you wish to inquire about their programs or use the space for meetings or events, please visit the website at www.bmocentrelondon.com.

The London Optimist Sports Centre (LOSC) is a volunteer driven, not-for- profit organization established in 2004, that runs the BMO Centre, London, one of Southwestern Ontario’s premier sports destinations. With six indoor playing fields, this impressive facility is located right in the heart of the city and has become a true London success story.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. OTF awarded more than $115 million to 644 projects last year to build healthy and vibrant communities in Ontario.