2015 Pan American Games torch relay

The official logo of the 2015 Pan American Games torch relay

The 2015 Pan American Games torch relay was a 41-day torch run, occurring from May 30 to July 10, 2015, being held prior to the start of the Games. The relay brought the torch from Mexico to the Pan American Ceremonies Venue for the opening ceremony.

An application period for Canadians to carry the torch opened in October 2014 and continued till December. Anyone aged 13 or older as of May 30, 2015 was eligible to become a torchbearer. Most of the torchbearers were selected by a random selection, while the others were selected by torch relay communities and games partners.^[1]

The torch took a 41-day journey after being lit in May 2015 at the pyramids of Teotihuacan, Mexico. The torch was brought through a total of 130 communities, mostly in Ontario (with five outside the province, Richmond, Winnipeg, Calgary, Halifax and Montreal). The torch was carried by about 3,000 torchbearers and travel approximately 20,000 kilometres (12,000 mi).^[2] The relay began on May 30, 2015 in Toronto and finished on July 10, the date of the opening ceremony.^[3]

The detailed torch relay route and celebration sites were announced on February 24, 2015.^[2] The torch arrived in Toronto and then headed to Thunder Bay, before visiting all other communities on the route. The relay also visited five National Historic Sites of Canada, six Canadian Forces bases and one provincial park. There were 180 celebrations across the torch relay route.^[4][5]

Route

A torchbearer at the 2015 Burlington's Sound of Music Festival, participating as part of the torch relay

An example of one of the torches from the 2015 Pan American Games.

All cities in the Province of Ontario, unless otherwise noted in italics.^[6]

Day	Date	Cities	Notable torchbearers
1	May 30	Arrival ceremony in Toronto	Chris Hadfield–astronaut[7] Rosie MacLennan–trampolinist
2	May 31	Fort William First Nation, Thunder Bay, Nipigon, Terrace Bay, Marathon, White River, Wawa	Curt Harnett–cyclist[8]
3	June 1	Wawa, Sault Ste. Marie	Kalle Mattson–singer[9] Chris Simon–hockey player[9] Brad Jacobs–curler[9] Jessica Tuomela–swimmer[9] Mac Marcoux–alpine skier[9]
4	June 2	Sault Ste. Marie, Bruce Mines, Thessalon, Blind River, Serpent River First Nation, Massey, Espanola, Little Current, Sudbury	Tessa Bonhomme–hockey player[10]
5	June 3	Sudbury, Sturgeon Falls, North Bay, Powassan, South River, Sundridge, Huntsville	Dara Howell–freestyle skier[11]
6	June 4	Algonquin Provincial Park, Algonquin, Huntsville, Minden Hills, Lindsay, Omemee, Peterborough Lift Lock, Peterborough	Ron Ellis–hockey player[12]
7	June 5	Peterborough, Bowmanville, Courtice, Oshawa	–
8	June 6	Ajax	Nigel Wilson–baseball player[13]
9	June 7	Citadel Hill, Halifax, CFB Halifax (All three in Nova Scotia)	Mark de Jonge–kayaker[14] Andrew Nicholson–basketball player[14] Laura Pomeroy–swimmer[14]
10	June 8	Whitby, Brooklin, Port Perry, Uxbridge, Beaverton, Orillia	–
11	June 9	Orillia, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Parry Sound	–
12	June 10	Parry Sound, Waubaushene, Victoria Harbour, Port McNicoll, Midland, Penetanguishene, Oro-Medonte, Barrie	Emily Batty–mountain biker[15] Adam Dixon–sledge hockey player[15] Glenn Howard–curler[15]
13	June 11	Innisfil, CFB Borden, Stayner, Collingwood, Meaford, Owen Sound	Larisa Yurkiw–alpine skier[16]
14	June 12	Owen Sound, Markdale, Flesherton, Shelburne, Alliston, Beeton, Mono, Orangeville	Jessica Phoenix–equestrian rider[17]Brian Price–rower[18]
15	June 13	Orangeville, Palgrave, Bolton, Inglewood, Belfountain, Alton, Caledon East	Peter Holland–hockey player[19]
16	June 14	Misssissauga, Port Credit, Richmond (British Columbia)	Hazel McCallion–politician Simon Whitfield–triathlete
–	June 15	Not travelling	–
17	June 16	Sarnia, Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Wallaceburg, Chatham-Kent, Tecumseh, Windsor	Mary Spencer–boxer[20]
18	June 17	Windsor, Essex, Leamington, Point Pelee National Park, Pelee, St. Thomas, London	Christine Nesbitt–speed skater[21] Damian Warner–athlete[22]
19	June 18	London, Ingersoll, Woodstock, Tavistock, Stratford, Waterloo, Kitchener	Mandy Bujold–boxer[23]
20	June 19	Kitchener, Cambridge, Brantford, Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, Burlington	J. R. Fitzpatrick–NASCAR driver[24] Mark Oldershaw–canoer
21	June 20	Welland, St. Catharines, Port Dalhousie, Niagara Falls	Jessica McDonald–wrestler[25]
22	June 21	Winona, Stoney Creek, Hamilton, Ancaster, Dundas, Waterdown, Hamilton	Sue Palmer-Komar–cyclist
23	June 22	Hamilton, CFB Winnipeg, The Forks, Winnipeg, Winnipeg (Last three in Manitoba)	Melanie Booth–soccer player Jon Montgomery[26] Darnell Nurse–hockey player[24]
24	June 23	Milton, Oakville, Brampton	Steve Bauer–cyclist[24] Travis Gerrits–freestyle skier
25	June 24	Brampton, Kleinburg, Woodbridge, Vaughan, Thornhill, Richmond Hill	Andi Petrillo-broadcaster[27] Elvis Stojko–figure skater
26	June 25	Richmond Hill, Aurora, King, Newmarket	Trish Stratus–professional wrestler[28]
27	June 26	Newmarket, Sharon, Holland Landing, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Keswick, Mount Albert, Whitchurch–Stouffville	Karen Cockburn–trampolinist[29]
28	June 27	Markham, Unionville, Thornhill, Markham	–
29	June 28	Montreal (in Quebec)	Alexandre Bilodeau–freestyle skier[24]
30	June 29	CFB Petawawa, Ontario	–
31	June 30	Gatineau (in Quebec), Ottawa	Arlene Dickinson–author
32	July 1	Kanata, Barrhaven	–
33	July 2	Orleans, Carleton Place, Smiths Falls, Rideau Canal, Smiths Falls, Brockville, Gananoque, Fort Henry, Kingston	Brooke Henderson–golfer
34	July 3	Calgary (in Alberta), CFB Kingston, Kingston, Odessa, Napanee, Deseronto, Tyendinaga First Nation, Belleville	Kyle Shewfelt–gymnast[30]
35	July 4	CFB Trenton, Trenton, Brighton, Colborne, Cobourg, Toronto (south)	–
36	July 5	Toronto (east)	Dwayne De Rosario–soccer player[24] Wayne Simmonds–hockey player[24]
37	July 6	Toronto (east and west)	Patrick Chan–figure skater[24] Jamal Magloire–basketball player
38	July 7	Toronto (west and north)	–
39	July 8	Toronto (north and central)	Jim Cuddy–singer[24] Eva Avila–singer
40	July 9	Toronto (central and south)	–
41	July 10	Toronto (central and south) + arrival at opening ceremony	–

See also

• 2015 Parapan American Games torch relay

References

1. Pelley, Lauren (October 1, 2014). "Pan Am Games looking for torchbearers". Toronto Star (Toronto, Canada). Retrieved February 17, 2015.
2. "Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay Route Announced, Including More Than 180 Celebrations". http://aroundtherings.com/''. Around the Rings. February 24, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
3. Latheef, Abdul (October 1, 2014). "Pan Am Games torch relay will cross Canada". Canadian Press (Toronto, Canada). Retrieved February 17, 2015.
4. Morgan, Liam (March 3, 2015). "Toronto 2015 confirm exact Torch Relay route ahead of Pan American Games". http://www.insidethegames.biz/''. Insidethegames. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
5. "Plans are firing up for the Pan Am Torch Relay". http://www.insidetoronto.com/''. Metroland Media Group. February 24, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
6. "Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay Route" (PDF). http://www.toronto2015.org/''. TO2015. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
7. "Pan Am organizers head to Mexico to bring back flame for cross-Canada relay". Global News (Toronto, Canada). 21 May 2015.
8. "Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Celebrate in Thunder Bay and Algoma Districts on May 31". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 27 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
9. "Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Celebrate in Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie on June 1". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 27 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
10. "Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Celebrate in Northern Ontario on June 2". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 27 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
11. "Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Celebrate in Nipissing, Parry Sound and Muskoka Districts on June 3". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 27 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
12. "Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Celebrate in Muskoka, Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough on June 4". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 27 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
13. "Major leaguer Nigel Wilson torch bearer in Ajax". durhamregion.com/p (Ajax, Ontario). 3 April 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
14. "Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Celebrate in Halifax on June 7". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 31 May 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
15. "Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Celebrate in Parry Sound and Simcoe County on June 10". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 3 June 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
16. Brandt, Ryan (1 April 2015). "Larisa Yurkiw Named Pan-Am Torch Bearer For Owen Sound". blackburnnews.com. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
17. "TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay Celebrates in Grey, Simcoe and Dufferin Counties on June 12". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 12 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
18. Halliday, Chris (15 May 2015). "County grants Orangeville Pan Am money, none for anyone else". orangeville.com (Orangeville, Ontario). Retrieved 18 May 2015.
19. Lund, Chris (13 May 2015). "Holland to take part in Pan Am torch relay". http://mapleleafs.nhl.com''. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
20. "Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Celebrate in Sarnia, Chatham-Kent, Essex County and Windsor on June 16". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 12 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
21. "Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Celebrate in Southwestern Ontario on June 17". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 14 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
22. "Warner named torchbearer for Pan Am torch relay". London Community News (London, Ontario). 24 March 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
23. "Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Celebrate in London, Oxford County, Stratford and Waterloo Region on June 18". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 17 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
24. Pavitt, Michael (13 May 2015). "Olympic figure skating, cycling and moguls medallists unveiled as Toronto 2015 Torchbearers". http://www.insidethegames.biz/''. Insidethegames. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
25. "MEDIA ADVISORY - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Continue Journey Through Niagara Region on June 20". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 18 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
26. "Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay Heads to Winnipeg on June 22". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 20 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
27. "Media Advisory - TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Celebrate in Peel and York Region on June 24". CNW Newswire (Toronto, Canada). 20 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
28. "Trish Stratus named Pan Am torchbearer". http://www.trishstratus.com/''. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
29. Bolan, Sandra (20 April 2015). "Karen Cockburn named Stouffville's Pan Am torchbearer". Stouffville Sun-Tribune (Stouffville, Ontario). Retrieved 17 May 2015.
30. "Kyle Shewfelt Announced as Calgary’s Pan Am Games Torch Relay Community Torchbearer". http://newsroom.calgary.ca/''. City of Calgary. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2015.

External links

• Official website