Media Advisory - 2010 Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Athletes Available in
Montreal

Over 150 athletes arrive for Friday's parade and Hall of Fame festivities

MONTREAL, April 21 /CNW/ - Members of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Teams will be available for media interviews upon their arrival in Montreal, Thursday, April 22nd at 7:45 p.m. EST.

The athletes will be in Montreal for Friday's Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Athlete Parade, as well as the Canadian Olympic Committee's 2010 Hall of Fame Induction Gala.

Slated for an 11:30 a.m. start Friday, the City of Montreal will host the parade along Sainte Catherine Street, starting at the corner of Sainte Catherine and Du Fort and heading east 1.6 km to Phillips Square. Approximately 800 participants will take part, including athletes divided into 10 floats (grouped by sport disciplines), special guests, young athletes and performers. Each athlete float will be accompanied by younger local athletes from the same sport. The parade will culminate in a 1:30 p.m. celebration at Philips Square, featuring remarks from Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay, The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport) and The Honourable Michelle Courchesne, Minister of Education, Recreation and Sport, before Gregory Charles closes the show.

The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has also received support from Chevrolet and Rona, and acknowledges the cooperation of la Société du Parc-Jean Drapeau.

    
    Who:      Over 150 Olympic and Paralympic athletes
    What:     Media availability upon arrival in Montreal
    Where:    Gare Centrale de Montreal
              895, de la Gauchetière ouest
    When:     Thursday, April 22nd, 7:45 p.m.
    

About the Canadian Olympic Committee

The Canadian Olympic Committee is a national, private, not-for-profit organization committed to sport excellence. It is responsible for all aspects of Canada's involvement in the Olympic Movement, including Canada's participation in the Olympic and Pan American Games and a wide variety of programs that promote the Olympic Movement in Canada through cultural and educational means. For news and information, visit the COC website at www.olympic.ca and find the team on both Facebook (Canadian Olympic Team) and Twitter (CDNOlympicTeam).

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee ("the CPC") is a non-profit, private organisation with 43 member sports organisations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement. The CPC is responsible for creating an optimal high-performance environment for Canadian Paralympic athletes to win at Paralympic and ParaPanAmerican Games. By supporting Canadian Paralympic athletes and promoting their success, the CPC inspires all Canadians with a physical disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organisations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca.

Follow the Canadian Paralympic Committee by becoming a fan on Facebook, and following on Twitter.

For further information: Sylvie Bigras, Canadian Olympic Committee, Cel. [phone], Email: [email protected]; Anna Parisi, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Cel. [phone], Email: [email protected]