Cogir Olympics 2024: A Summer of Sport and Togetherness for Our Seniors

05 November 2024

All summer long, Cogir residences in Quebec were brought to life by a unique Olympics-inspired series of competitions, in the spirit of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. These games brought together over 1,600 residents, all eager to push their limits and prove that staying active and facing new challenges has no age limit.

Véronique Caon, Marketing Director at Cogir Residences, emphasized the mission of the event: “Inspired by the excitement of the Paris Games, these Olympics aim to promote physical activity and a healthy mindset among seniors.” With events ranging from pétanque to word searches, darts, and a 1, 2, or 3-kilometer walk, participants could select the activity that suited them best.

Alexandre Despatie, Inspiring Ambassador for the Olympics

Famed diver Alexandre Despatie also served as the event’s ambassador. This double silver medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics brought an added touch of inspiration and motivation. “The Cogir Olympics are a wonderful opportunity for seniors to challenge themselves, take on new goals, and forge friendships. I am honored to be part of this project, which is very close to my heart,” he shared.

A Provincial Celebration

Regional finals crowned the Cogir Olympics, held in various iconic locations such as Parc Beauséjour in Rimouski, the Nature Center in Laval, Récréoparc in Sainte-Catherine, and Base de Plein Air Sainte-Foy in Quebec City. These gatherings brought residents together for moments of friendly competition, followed by medal ceremonies, a lunch, and an energetic performance by singer Sylvie DesGroseilliers.

Residences like Jazz and Clair Matin in Longueuil, Jardins Intérieurs in Saint-Lambert, Jazz Brossard, Le Cherbourg, St-Charles, Émérite de Brossard, and Dufferin in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield all joined in, making these Olympics a truly unifying event.

A New Image of Seniors

For Véronique Caon, the event also highlighted the vitality of today’s seniors, far from the stereotypes often linked to this generation. “Today’s seniors are very different from those of twenty or thirty years ago. We have many highly active residents, and it’s for them that we’re creating a wide range of activities.”

This summer, the Cogir Olympics showed that sports and togetherness can bring generations together and inspire seniors to stay active and fulfilled. Congratulations to all participants for a season filled with challenges, achievements, and unforgettable moments!

About Cogir Real Estate

Incorporated in 1995, Cogir Real Estate employs close to 16,000 people who are passionate about real estate. With our constant desire to give purpose to real estate, we strive to maintain a human focus, to create and to excel in our quest to design living environments that are pleasant, functional and a reflection of their occupants. Our team manages over 430 properties throughout Canada and the United States. We oversee 6 million square feet of commercial property and 60,000 housing units, including more than 280 privately owned seniors’ residences. The Cogir Foundation supports projects and causes involving four major domains, namely youth, seniors, cultural diversity and the environment.