City of Stratford Sport Tourism Strategy Approved by City Council
Industry Partners, click here for a list of upcoming facility rentals and what groups are visiting Stratford.
The City of Stratford partnered with investStratford and Destination Stratford to develop a Sport Tourism Strategy for the City.
The project, funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario via RTO4, assessed the City’s current tourism assets, gathered information through public consultations and provides a strategy for growth and next steps.
The Sport Tourism Strategy project aims were to:
- determine the economic impact, and the size and scope of existing sport tourism opportunities – including an inventory of capital assets (infrastructure) and human assets (volunteer groups, local sport associations)
- explore the potential to expand those existing opportunities and to identify new areas for growth, complete with financial and socio-community impacts, effects and outcomes
- consider and recommend technology tools that link sport bookings to tourism assets, amplifying the visitor experience with local retail, food/beverage and accommodation providers
- provide a needs analysis for growth and potential funding opportunities
All members of the public, sports groups, and service clubs were encouraged to participate in the consultations. Opportunities included online engagement via the City of Stratford’s Engage Stratford platform, as well as in-person public consultations.
STRATFORD SPORT TOURISM – PUBLIC SURVEY RESPONSE REPORT
Surveys collected from 31 August 2022 to 04 October 2022.
PUBLIC SURVEY RESPONSE REPORTCOMMUNITY INPUT OPPORTUNITIES
Sport Tourism Strategy Input Timeline
Destinate Group was selected as the consultant to lead this work, and started public consultation on the Sport Tourism Strategy in September. The Strategy was presented to City Council January 23, 2023. Council approved the following staff recommendations:
THAT the existing Sport Tourism Steering Committee (Community Services Department, Destination Stratford, investStratford) remain active and that the Tourism Advisory Committees of Destination Stratford be leveraged to inform and support the creation of the Stratford Sport Tourism Office;
AND THAT the Steering Committee explore funding opportunities and partnerships to create an organizational structure and funding model for inclusion in the City of Stratford 2024 budget.
Stratford Sport Tourism Advisory Committee members and Terms of Reference can be found here.
For more information, please contact:
Joani Gerber
CEO, investStratford
519-305-5055 extension 1001; jgerber@investStratford.com
The Stratford Sport Tourism Office project has been financially assisted by the Tourism Development Fund of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.
This Stratford Sport Tourism Strategic Plan project was funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.
Upcoming Facility Rentals – 2024
Date | Facility | Group |
---|---|---|
May 17 | SERC 1 field | Secondary rugby 9am-3pm |
May 21 | SERC 2 fields | H-P sec. soccer 9:30am-5:45pm |
May 24 | SERC 1 field | Sec. rugby WOSSAA 9am-3pm |
May 29 | SERC 1 field | Sec. rugby WOSSAA 10am-3pm |
Jun 7-9 | SERC 1 + Nat’l Stadium | Baseball U18 Noon-11pm/8am-11pm/8am-6pm |
Jun 11-13 | Rotary A | Ag Society iFarm |
Jun 14-16 | Packham 5 | Baseball U8-U11 1-10pm F, 8am-8pm S&S – concession |
Jun 15-16 | SERC 5 + Packham 5 | U13-U21 soccer tourn. 8am-10pm |
Jun 19 & 20 | Agriplex & Rotary B | Ontario Pork Congress |
Jun 22 | Packham 3 diam. | Premier Equip. baseball 9am-4pm – concession/bbq |
Jun 27 | Rotary B | SDSS commencement |
Jul 5-7 | Packham 5 + Anne Hathaway | Softball U13-U19 5:30-10:30pm/8am-10:30pm/8am-7pm-concession/bbq |
Jul 12-14 | SERC 1 + Nat’l Stadium | Baseball Noon-11pm/8am-11pm/8am-6pm |
Jul 12-14 | Anne Hathaway | Softball U11/U13/U15 5:30-10:30pm/8am-10:30pm/8am-7pm |
Jul 13-14 | Packham 5 diam. | Fastball U15-U19 8:30am-8:30pm/8:30am-6pm-concession |
Jul 19-21 | SERC 1 + Nat’l Stadium | Baseball Noon-11pm/8am-11pm/8am-6pm |
Aug 2-4 | Packham 5 diam. + Anne Hathaway | Softball U15 8am-10:30pm/8am-7pm Sun-concession |
Aug 9-11 | Anne Hathaway | Softball U13 8am-10:30pm/8am-7pm Sun |
Aug 16-18 | Packham 5 diam. | Softball U13 5:30-10:30pm/8am-10:30pm/8am-7pm-concession |
Aug 16-18 | SERC 2/Dufferin/Optimist/Nat’l Stadium | Baseball Noon-11pm/8am-11pm/8am-6pm |
Aug 16-18 | Anne Hathaway | Softball 6-10:30pm/8am-7pm Sun |
Aug 18 | Packham 5 fields | U8-U12 soccer tourn. 8am-7pm |
Aug 23-25 | SERC 1/Dufferin/Optimist | Baseball Noon-11pm/8am-11pm/8am-6pm |
Aug 24 | Anne Hathaway | Softball Special Olympics 8am-5pm |
Aug 30-Sep 1 | Packham 4 diam. | Slo-pitch 6pm-mid./8am-mid./8am- 10pm-concession/alcohol/entertain. |
Aug 30-Sep 1 | SERC/Dufferin/Optimist | Baseball Noon-10pm/8am-9pm/8am-5pm |
Sep 6-8 | Packham 5 diam. | Baseball adult 6:30pm-mid./8am-mid. /8am-6pm-concession/bbq/alcohol |
Sep 12-13 | Rotary A | Ag Society – PW Cattle Show |
Sep 19-22 | Grounds/Agrip./RotaryB | Fall Fair |
The Summer Games Triathlon is coming to St. Marys quarry in 2024. Details can be found on the Games site.