The Garden City is well placed to take part in the 2015 Pan-American Games thanks to the Henley rowing course, St. Catharines Mayor Brian McMullan says.

"Could we be ready to host the games tomorrow? Absolutely we could," McMullan said. "We have the facility and we have experience."

The possibility of southern Ontario becoming Canada's bid for the Pan-Am games moved a step closer to reality this week when Premier Dalton McGuinty said hosting the games is something the provincial government should examine seriously.

In response, the Canadian Olympic Committee - which decides on these matters - said McGuinty's comments were a "very positive" sign for a bid that would include Toronto, Hamilton and Niagara as venues.

McMullan said while nothing is official yet, the Martindale Pond course would be the natural location for rowing events, and aside from a few touches here and there, the city is ready to do its part.

"It's the best rowing course in the world, if you want my opinion," he said.

McMullan said because the bid planning is in such an early stage, the best the city can do is be a "booster" for it.

"In fact, I am in the process of writing a letter to our MP, Rick Dykstra, asking him for the same kind of support the premier has given the bid," he said.

On Wednesday, Dykstra said he thinks the Pan-Am Games would be a boon to the city and the province.

"So you can certainly guarantee on my personal support," he said.

The premier's backing of the bid is conditional on federal government funding, particularly for the infrastructure that both Hamilton and Toronto officials say would be needed to host the games.

Dykstra said it's too early to say what Ottawa would do, but noted the Conservatives have already put funding behind athlete training programs and the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in British Columbia.

"This is still seven years away, so its very preliminary," he said. "But this government is certainly committed to supporting these kinds of efforts."

Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty recently said he's open to the issue, and sources close to the bid have said they're optimistic about help from the federal government.

While Toronto and Hamilton are asking for money to build new facilities and other projects, the rowing course in St. Catharines is already in good shape.

George Darte, co-chairman of the 2010 World Rowing Masters Regatta that will be hosted at the Henley, said it won't cost much to get the course ready for the Pan-Am Games.

He said about half a million dollars will be spent on the course for the 2010 event, meaning there won't be any major work needed if the games come to St. Catharines five years later.

Darte said the massive facelift the course got for the 1999 world championships has put the Henley in position to host other international events.

"They have done an amazing job of maintaining the course. They haven't let it decline and then ask for a bunch of money to fix it up for an event," Darte said.

McMullan and Darte said the city has a small army of volunteers with the know-how to run a large regatta.

The mayor said an upgrade to the Henley grandstand might be the only infrastructure work that needs to be done.

The Olympic committee meets April 11 in Calgary to discuss the Pan-Am Games bid.