Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Parapan Am Games Torch Relay to Kick Off in Ottawa and Niagara Falls on August 3

Two separate Parapan Am flames to be lit in special ceremonies, marking a first-ever in torch relay history

TORONTO, July 29, 2015 /CNW/ - On Monday, August 3, Day 1 of the Parapan Am Games Torch Relay, presented by President's Choice® and OLG, two Parapan Am flames will be lit – one in Ottawa, Ontario and one in Niagara Falls, Ontario – to commence the 5-day inspirational journey.

With a unique start marking a first-ever in torch relay history, two separate Parapan Am flames will be lit during special ceremonies the east flame will be lit in Ottawa, before it travels to Kingston for a community celebration that evening while the west flame will be lit in Niagara Falls before making its way to St. Catharines for a community celebration.

East – Ottawa, ON and Kingston, ON

Parliament Hill – 10:40 a.m. (ET) (111 Wellington Street, Ottawa, ON)
Flame lighting ceremony:

• Peter Schuler will be the first torchbearer to carry the Parapan Am flame in the east
• The Parapan Am flame will be carried by several torchbearers as part of the celebration, including Chelsea Lariviere Paralympic and World Championships medallist, wheelchair racing and Karolina Wisniewska, eight-time Paralympic medallist, alpine skiing

Lake Ontario Park – 7 p.m. (ET) (920 King Street West, Kingston, ON)
Evening celebration:

• The Parapan Am flame will be carried by several torchbearers as part of the celebration, including Karen Blachford, Paralympic gold medallist, wheelchair curling and community nominated Brett Babcock, para-athletics athlete
• The community cauldron will be lit by community nominated Brett Babcock

West – Niagara Falls, ON and St. Catharines, ON

Table Rock Centre – 10:55 a.m. (ET) (6650 Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls, ON)
Flame lighting ceremony:

• Leah Sault, nominated by the Mississauga's of the New Credit First Nation – the Host First Nation for the TORONTO 2015 Games, will be the first torchbearer to carry the Parapan Am flame in the west
• Parapan Am flame to be carried by several torchbearers as part of the celebration, including Robyn Crandall, Special Olympian, swimming

Helicopter Segment – 2 p.m. (ET) (3731 Victoria Avenue, Niagara Falls, ON)
Photo opportunity:                                          

• CBC news anchor Dwight Drummond will carry the Parapan Am flame while travelling in a helicopter over the falls

Lakeside Park – 6 p.m. (ET) (1 Lakeport Road, St. Catharines, ON)
Evening celebration:

• Parapan Am flame to be carried by several torchbearers as part of the celebration
• The community cauldron will be lit by Bob Asham, member of the City of St. Catharines Accessibility Committee and an ambassador for the Rick Hansen Foundation

The Parapan Am Games Torch Relay is a 5-day inspirational journey of more than 250 torchbearers who will share the Parapan Am spirit in 12 communities. The torch relay is one of the most exciting events as it sets the stage leading up to what will be the largest Parapan Am Games ever held. 

Media Materials
The following torch relay items are available at TORONTO2015.org/torch-relay: relay route map, full list of communities and dates and daily highlight summaries.

All torch relay media advisories will be available on CNW. Day 1 highlight images and videos will be available on Flickr by copying and pasting this URL into a web browser:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/134804056@N03/J37LN0.

The torch relay can also be followed on Twitter.

About the TORONTO 2015 Parapan Am Games Torch Relay         
The TORONTO 2015 Parapan Am Games Torch Relay is presented by President's Choice® and OLG, supported by community partner CIBC and signature supporters Ontario Trillium Foundation, Porter Airlines and Star Media Group and Metroland Media, and funding parties the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario. The torch relay will invite communities to celebrate and share the Parapan Am spirit throughout its five-day journey towards Toronto, the Host City of the Games.

The torch relay starts August 3, 2015, and concludes August 7, 2015, with the dramatic lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony in Toronto.

The TORONTO 2015 Games are funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, as well as Lead Partner CIBC and other partners and sponsors.

For more information, visit TORONTO2015.org/torch-relay. 

SOURCE Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games

East (Ottawa, Kingston): Jill MacCannell, Coordinator, marketing and communications, TO2015, 416.996.4076, [email protected]; West (Niagara Falls, St. Catharines): Melissa Iafrate, Coordinator, marketing and communications, TO2015, 647.225.4002, [email protected]