June 10/15 10:13 am - Steve Bauer Carries Pan Am Torch in Milton June 23rd

Posted by Editoress on 06/10/15
 

The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay is officially in full swing. The Pan Am flame has been travelling through towns and cities across Canada since May 30th, and on Tuesday, June 23rd, it will be Milton's turn to host the flame.

"The Town of Milton is excited to be a part of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay. We look forward to sharing the Pan Am spirit and showcasing our great community," said Mayor Gord Krantz. "Welcoming the Pan Am flame to Milton is a special opportunity to show our community pride!"

The Pan Am flame will arrive in Milton in the hands of hometown hero Travis Gerrits. The Olympic aerial skier will carry the flame along Santa Maria Boulevard to the Milton Sports Centre, where a full-scale celebration is planned.

The free celebration begins at 11:30 am and will feature live cultural performances by Kenn Lewis & Island Entertainment as well as the White Pine Dancers. Plenty of family-friendly games and activities will be available to keep attendees busy as they wait for the flame to arrive. There will also free giveaways, food samples, photo opportunities and vendor booths. At 12:30 pm, Gerrits will arrive with the flame and take part in a formal ceremony to light the community cauldron.

At 1:30 pm, the relay will recommence as former Olympian and Tour de France icon Steve Bauer takes the flame across town on his bicycle. Bauer will stop at the Milton Centre for the Arts, where an event is being held to acknowledge OLG's continued financial support of the Milton Community Fund grant program, which supports not-for-profit organizations and individuals whose initiatives add to the quality of life within Milton.

The flame will be passed several more times before it reaches its third stop at the CIBC branch in the Derry Heights Plaza (Derry Road and Bronte Street South). After a brief break, the flame will travel on two wheels once again as Canadian track cycling team member Joseph Veloce cycles the final stretch of the relay, which ends at the Cisco Milton Pan Am/Parapan Am Velodrome. The stop at the velodrome will be open to media only, as preparations for the Games are ongoing.

Residents are encouraged to celebrate and share the Pan Am spirit by lining the relay route and showing their support for the torchbearers. Local roads will be open during the relay, so residents are reminded to stay safe by cheering from the sidewalk.

For more information about the torch relay in Milton, including a detailed route map, visit www.milton.ca/games.