uOttawa News

OTTAWA, September 7, 2013  —  The University of Ottawa is celebrating the opening of its new Gee-Gees Field and the launch of its first Sports Services Campaign. The event is taking place as the Gee-Gees football team takes on the University of Toronto Varsity Blues in the first 2013 home game.

The new Gee-Gees Field, an $8 million project that was built in partnership with the City of Ottawa, marks the dawn of a new era for the Gee-Gees football team, providing them with a home on campus for the first time in over 50 years. The multi-use playing field will also increase the number of sports and recreation programs available to students, and boosts the selection of community sports venues for the Ottawa community, particularly for residents who live near the campus.

“We recognize that programs and facilities that help develop a sound mind in a healthy body are essential to fostering good citizenship and engagement, and to building a vibrant community”, said Allan Rock, president and vice-chancellor of the University.

The field will be enclosed in a dome from mid-November to mid-May, which will allow uOttawa students, athletes and Ottawa community members to use the field all year round.

A place for the Gee-Gees to call home
The facility now boasts a CFL-size field that can accommodate over 4000 spectators. The Gee-Gees will finally have their team room, coaches’ offices, and dedicated athletic therapy and video rooms under one roof.

The Power of Sports: Bringing a Campus Together
This event is also the ideal setting to launch the first-ever uOttawa Sports Services Campaign. This $15 million fundraising effort aims to strengthen the University’s sports programs, build support for varsity athletes and help them realize their full potential. The campaign will give four of uOttawa’s varsity teams the help they need to reach the top of the podium. It also aims to develop excellence in uOttawa’s other varsity teams, and create more opportunities for students to stay fit and have fun.

The campaign will be led by alumni, namely co-chairs Kevin Gilmore, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Montreal Canadiens, and Peter Chiarelli, General Manager of the Boston Bruins. Music icon and former Gee-Gees hockey player Roch Voisine has also agreed to lend a hand as honorary chair.

“Our time at the University of Ottawa shaped us as people and helped set us on the path to success. We are co-chairing this campaign not just because we think it is important to give back, but also because we see this moment as an important juncture in the history of the University,” said the co-chairs.
 

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INFORMATION:

Néomie Duval
International Media Relations Officer
University of Ottawa
Cell: 613-863-7221
neomie.duval@uOttawa.ca

Caroline Milliard
Manager of Media Relations
University of Ottawa
Cell.: 613-240-0275
caroline.milliard@uOttawa.ca