Fundraising gala held for future Bolton High Performance Athletics raises over $1 million

February 12, 2026 · 0 Comments

By Riley Murphy

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

With all eyes currently fixed on the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, just last week, attention turned to both past and present Olympians as they celebrated the Future Bolton High Performance Athletics Centre (BHPAC) at its very first fundraiser.

Into the night of the fundraising gala for the future centre on Feb. 12, Olympic pole vaulter Alysha Newman announced that the night pushed them over $1 million towards their fundraising goal for the next generation of athletes.

The BHPAC is set for completion in 2027 and will be Canada’s first privately funded, non-profit, high-performance track and field facility.

The centre will feature an Olympic-quality sprint track, field areas, physio and recovery zones, and a full athlete performance hub.

Bringing this vision to life are co-leaders and Olympians, Alysha Newman and Doug Wood. Wood is the founder of Bolton Pole Vault and a former Olympic athlete.

Bolton Pole Vault has been using the existing track and field facility at Humberview for the past 12 years, and, in partnership with the Peel District School Board (PDSB), was gifted the land adjacent to the school to build its future centre.

Wood has been Newman’s coach for years, celebrating her Olympic medal victory with her in 2024, and now, collaborating to bring a very much-needed space to Canada’s athletes.

Wood and Newman know the struggles of not having anywhere to train all too well; for decades, they’ve bounced between different abandoned warehouses, York University, and even grow ops, they both joke.

Now their vision is even closer to reality following their fundraising gala last Thursday.

Donors, businesses, and Olympians came from all over to support the new BHPAC at Hazelton Manor in Vaughan, supporting Bolton Athletics and their dream.

Various young athletes from Bolton Athletics were also in attendance, showcasing the future generations who will one day benefit from this labour of love.

“It’s been surprising how much support we’ve had,” Wood told the Citizen at the gala, “It’s not an easy ask, but people have been incredibly supportive, and it’s been a great event.”

Wood emphasizes that every single person he has asked for support has said yes, showing the strong community they have around them.

“It’s incredibly meaningful for us, and we’re super thankful,” he adds.

“It’s easy to sell something that everybody believes in, and it is easy for us to get behind this because it’s pretty awesome. I know everybody’s behind it.”

Newman laughs that to see everyone show up that night in -30°C weather was amazing.

“You have a goal, and you have a dream,” says Newman. “It was just like my Olympic medal when I was a little girl. I believed I could do it. When we talk about it all the time, we know we can do it, and we need the community to hear and support.”

“I think that it’s way closer than we think.”

“We’re just so honoured that people want to come together and see this. We want to keep building Canadian greatness, and I think it starts with everyone who’s here,” she adds.

Newman says that if she had had a facility like BHPAC growing up, it would have solidified for her that greatness can be achieved here in Canada.

For them, it’s all about creating a home for the future generation of athletes to achieve their own greatness.

Stan Cameron, PDSB trustee for Caledon, has been involved with the partnership between Bolton Pole Vault and PDSB since the beginning.

“It’s so exciting and to hear that number – a million dollars – already. We know they have a long way to go, but this is an amazing start. It’s really a win-win-win-win,” says Cameron. “The community will win, our children will win, our students will win, our parents and families will win, and the world-class athletes will win.”

During school hours, PDSB will have access to the facility, and students will be able to use all amenities as part of their physical education classes and extracurricular programs.

Outside of school hours, Bolton Pole Vault will use the facility to train track and field athletes.

“When you can watch an athlete prepare to compete, when they can show you how they dedicate themselves to being able to prepare for the world championships, for Olympic championships, it’s got to be inspiring for those younger athletes to think that this is how you do it. This is the modelled way of success if that’s what you want to be,” says Cameron.

Fundraising will continue for the centre, as Wood says their site plan application is underway, and there are many more great things to come.