TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay Celebrates in Peterborough and Durham Region on June 5

Pan Am flame shared the spirit of the Games in Clarington at the Bowmanville Zoo, celebrations at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex and an evening celebration at Oshawa City Hall

TORONTO, June 5, 2015 /CNW/ - TORONTO 2015 mascot PACHI and a number of his animal friends helped celebrate Day 7 of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay, presented by President's Choice® and OLG, as the Pan Am flame visited Peterborough and several communities in the Durham Region, including Bowmanville, Courtice and Oshawa. 

Queen Mary Public School in Peterborough hosted the start of the day's relay with PACHI, the official mascot of the Games, entertaining students and teaching them his signature dance — the wiggle.  Following the presentation, Katie Oickle, a school-selected torchbearer and local athlete, started the Pan Am flame's journey from the school.

The flame visited Clarington and the Bowmanville Zoo where zoo owner Michael Hackenberger carried the flame accompanied by 30 zoo animals.  Later, one wheel took over from four legs when 60-year-old Duncan Tillson showed Clarington residents how to carry the flame while riding a unicycle.

The community celebration at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex welcomed community torchbearer Chris Vanhaverbeke, a music teacher and volunteer firefighter, who brought the Pan Am flame to the stage.

In the afternoon, the flame rode a tractor with Ted Watson, owner of Watson Farms, before visiting Courtice where 74-year-old community torchbearer and marathon runner Dave Taylor had his chance to carry the flame. 

Day 7 concluded at Oshawa City Hall with an evening celebration that saw Norma Douglas, an 84-year-old community torchbearer and Pan Am silver medallist in synchronized swimming, carry the torch on its final leg of the day. 

The Pan Am Games Torch Relay continues tomorrow on Day 8 when the Pan Am flame visits Ajax.

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

All torch relay media advisories and news releases are available on CNW. Day 7 highlight images and videos are available on Flickr by copying and pasting this URL into a web browser: https://www.flickr.com/gp/133157263@N06/2q2r84

The torch relay can also be followed on Twitter.

About the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay  
The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay, presented by President's Choice® and OLG, is supported by community partner CIBC, signature supporters Star Media Group and Metroland Media, Ontario Trillium Foundation and Porter Airlines, and funding parties the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario. The torch relay will invite Canadians to celebrate and share the Pan Am spirit throughout its 41-day journey towards Toronto, the Host City of the Games.

The torch relay starts May 30, 2015, and concludes July 10, 2015, with the dramatic lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony in downtown 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.

To learn more about the torch relay and when the Pan Am flame will visit a community near you, visit TORONTO2015.org/torch-relay or download the official TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games app, presented by CIBC.

About the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games ticket program
Great tickets to the Pan Am Games are still available, but gold-medal sessions are selling quickly!

The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games ticket program is designed to be affordable and accessible for everyone by offering:

Integrated tickets: Every event ticket will allow the holder to access transit on the day of the event.

Affordable pricing: Tickets start at just $20, with 75 per cent of tickets priced $45 and under.

Half-price tickets for persons under 16 years of age, or 65 and over: Tickets will be offered at a 50 per cent discount — some will start at $10. The number of discounted tickets is limited, so buy early.

Tickets for Parapan Am sporting events will range from $20 to $35 for adults, with a youth (under 16) and senior (65+) discount from $10 to $12.50 available, depending on the event. The number of discounted tickets is limited, so don't delay.

Easy options for buying: Tickets can be purchased online at TORONTO2015.org/tickets or at 1.855.726.2015 and internationally at 1.949.333.4824.

SOURCE Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games

Melissa Iafrate, Coordinator, marketing and communications, TO2015, 647.225.4002, [email protected]