Aurora, You Can Play team up to promote sport inclusivity

Aurora will further promote inclusivity in sport through a new partnership with You Can Play.

The You Can Play Project aims to “ensure the safety and inclusion for all who participate in sports, including LGBTQ+ athletes, coaches and fans.”

The partnership with the Town of Aurora is You Can Play's first with a municipality and “emphasizes a person's skills, work ethic and competitive spirit, rather than their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.”

This new partnership was announced July 2 and was due to be presented to Council as The Auroran went to press.

“This agreement symbolizes our Town's dedication to inclusivity and equality in sports,” said Mayor Tom Mrakas in a statement. “By emphasizing the talents and efforts of our athletes and coaches, we can create a supportive and welcoming environment for all. We are extremely proud to take this step forward and we look forward to the positive impact this partnership will have on our sporting community.”

These sentiments were echoed by Kurt Weaver, Chief Operations Officer of You Can Play, who said they were “proud” to support the Town on its road to inclusivity.

“This partnership will bring our 12 years of expertise in professional and community sports to Aurora, enhancing their initiatives,” said Weaver.

Partnerships, the Town added, include comprehensive staff training sessions to support inclusion in sport, evaluation and examination of policies to ensure they are inclusive and supportive of 2SLGBTQ+ athletes, support for 2SLGBTQ+ initiatives, enhanced supports for local sports groups and organizations, and education sessions to increase awareness of 2SLGBTQ+ issues and sports.

Workshops, training and education sessions will launch this fall.

For more information, visit aurora.ca/SportWorkshops.

By Brock Weir