Thanks to everyone who has been checking our daily #FebruaryMonthOfLove Blog. During this month of record-breaking cold temperatures, the Riverside BIA has been giving you a daily reason to snuggle up with someone you love and celebrate our love for someone, something, someplace or whatever. To inspire our Love – we have taken our inspiration from moments in history and special events from present times. Today, we look back in time to 64 years ago for some PanAm Love of the World!!
On this day in 1951 The first Pan American Games are held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The Pan American Games are the world’s third largest international multi-sport Games; they are only surpassed in size by the Olympic Summer Games and the Asian Games.
Both the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games are held every four years for athletes of the 41 PASO (Pan American Sports Organization) member nations, each taking place the year before the Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games.
In the summer of 2015, 61 years after the inaugural PanAm Games, the City of Toronto will Welcome the World as the Host City for the 2015 Games.
Toronto will welcome 10,000+ athletes, coaches and officials, along with roughly 250,000 sport spectators – united together to watch the Games, cheer on the athletes and be part of the Pan Am/Parapan Am experience. The Village that hosts the 10,000+ athletes, coaches and officials is right at Riverside’s doorstep – across the Riverside Bridge. This development is world class, and will be a lasting legacy in our community. It was officially completed 5 days ago – February 20th – an impressive 5 months ahead of schedule, Below are some comments about the opening.
“The Villages’ facilities, including the award-winning Corktown Commons Park, are outstanding and I have full confidence that the space will be a true home away from home for all the athletes competing in Canada this summer,” says Chef de Mission for the Pan Am Team Curt Harnettt.
The Game’s village is a symbol of the different people and cultures coming together to share and celebrate sport, said Saad Rafi, CEO of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee. “(It’s) a powerful reminder that this historic event is just around the corner. When the Games are over, we’ll have a vibrant, new waterfront neighbourhood, one with an already proud history and positive energy.”
The Canary District where the Athletes’ Village is now located was forgotten land, said Mayor John Tory.
“(It will be) a significant city-building legacy of the Games,” Tory said. “This new mixed income, transit friendly neighbourhood is a strong example of private-public partnership at its best.”
Along with parks and facilities the area will have 253 affordable rental units after the Games.
With this development happening beside the Riverside BIA Westerly Gateway, for the past 3 years, the Riverside BIA has been getting ready to welcome the world. We launch our welcoming in June with our annual Riverside Eats & Beats StreetFEST ! This year we have an IgniteTO 2015 theme – celebrating the culture, heritage and food of the countries of the Americas. The BIA streetscape will be animated from June – September to celebrate the Games and the countries of the participating athletes. Stay tuned for details – we are busy planning all the activities now.
On June 5th, 2015 the night before Eats & Beats StreetFEST there will be a special Bridge Lighting Launch Ceremony. For the past 3 years, the Riverside BIA has been leading a $500,000+ Capital Installation and Riverside Gateway / Bridge Lighting Project. Together with the City of Toronto, with funding help from several Corporate Sponsors including:Streetcar Developments Inc., Hullmark Developments , HarHay Developments, Ashlar Urban Realty, Bank of Montreal Queen/Broadview Branch and Il Ponte Cucina Italiana Restaurant we have created a lasting legacy and a Beacon for Toronto’s East End. This project is so involved – we can’t include it in just one blog post – visit here to get the details of the BIA Gateway and Riverside Bridge Lighting Project.
Today, the 25th Day of February Love, please celebrate Love of the World and a shout out to the opening ceremonies of the first ever PanAm Games, on this day, 61 years ago!
Artist Rendering of Riveride Bridge – White Lights. On special occasions, the dynamic lighting will be in symbolic colors.
Stay tuned for Day 26 in #FebruaryMonthOfLove