TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay Celebrations in the District of Muskoka, Haliburton County, Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough on June 4

Pan Am flame visited Algonquin Provincial Park, daytime celebration at Victoria Centennial Park in Lindsay and evening celebration at Del Crary Park in Peterborough

TORONTO, June 4, 2015 /CNW/ - Rowing, paddling and a hockey legend were featured prominently on Day 6 of the Pan Am Games Torch Relay, presented by President's Choice® and OLG, as the Pan Am flame visited Algonquin Provincial Park, Minden Hills, Lindsay, Omemee and Peterborough. 

The Pan Am flame began the day in Ontario's first provincial park as David Coulas, the superintendent of Algonquin Provincial Park, transported the flame by canoe on — fittingly — Canoe Lake. 

The flame's paddling journey continued on much faster currents at Minden Hills where torchbearer Claudia Van Wijk rode with it down the rapids of the Minden Wild Water Preserve, the canoe/kayak – slalom venue for the Games. Torchbearer Victor Ettel, a 73-year-old avid kayaker, then paddled the Gull River to pass the flame to community torchbearer Susan Shikaze at the Bobcaygeon Road post office.

In the afternoon, hockey legend Ron Ellis delivered the Pan Am flame to the community celebration at Lindsay's Victoria Centennial Park at the heart of the Kawartha Lakes region. The community cheered on torchbearer Tim Keenan, a Special Olympics medallist in bowling, as he carried the Pan Am flame on the next leg of its journey. The flame visited Omemee on its way to Peterborough where community torchbearer Bayley Simpson was among the lucky residents to carry the flame.

In Peterborough, the Pan Am flame returned to the water at the Peterborough Rowing Club. David Christopher Leach rowed the flame down the Trent Severn Waterway before passing it to Jim Watt who navigated the next leg of the relay in a historic boat. Watt passed the flame to torchbearer Karen Stillman who travelled by dragon boat to the final exchange where torchbearer Ron Whetung brought the flame aboard a Voyageur canoe. Together, all four vessels descended through the lift lock to complete the watery relay segment at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre.

Day 6 ended with an evening celebration at Del Crary Park in Peterborough where five-time archery Paralympian and Peterborough community torchbearer Alec Denys carried the flame into the celebration and lit the community cauldron.

The torch relay continues tomorrow on Day 7 when the Pan Am flame travels to Bowmanville, Courtice and Oshawa.

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 6 highlight images and videos are available on Flickr by copying and pasting this URL into a web browser: www.flickr.com/gp/133157263@N06/56459A

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

Jill MacCannell, Coordinator, marketing and communications, TO2015, 416.996.4076, [email protected]