2015 Pan American Games
Encyclopedia
The 2015 Pan American Games, officially the XVII Pan American Games or the 17th Pan American Games
, will be a major international multi-sport event
that will be held from July 10–26, 2015 in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
, with some events held in the suburbs of Ajax
, Barrie
, Brampton
, Caledon
, Hamilton
, Markham
, Minden, Mississauga, Oshawa
, Pickering
, Richmond Hill
, St. Catharines
and Welland
. Approximately 8,000 athletes from 41 nations are expected to participate in 48 sports. Both the Pan American and Parapan American Games
are being organized by the Toronto 2015 Organizing Committee (TO2015). The 2015 Pan American Games will become the third Pan American Games
hosted by Canada and the first by the province of Ontario. Previously, Canada hosted the 1967 Pan American Games
and the 1999 Pan American Games
both in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
. The 2015 Parapan American Games
will be held 10 days after the Pan American Games.
The 2015 Pan American Games will be the first completely green Games. Staging them will be done in a carbon-neutral way and become the largest multi-sport event
ever to be held in Canada.
The Canadian Olympic Association chose Toronto and the surrounding region as the Canadian candidate. No other Canadian city showed interest in staging the games, therefore Toronto was selected without a vote. Toronto's interest in bidding came after failing to land the 1996 Summer Olympics
and the 2008 Summer Olympics
, which were held in Atlanta and Beijing
respectively.
PASO made an evaluation visit to Toronto between August 30 and 31, 2009. PASO created the Evaluation Commission, as the International Olympic Committee
had done prior to the bidding for the 2008 Summer Olympics
. Host cities would often fly members of PASO to their city where they toured the city and were provided with gifts. The lack of oversight and transparency often led to allegations of money for votes. Afterward, changes brought forth by PASO (the same as the IOC) bidding rules were tightened, and more focused on technical aspects of candidate cities. The team analyzed the candidate city features and provided its input back to voting members of PASO. The evaluation committee was headed by Julio Maglione
, a member of the IOC representing Uruguay
and the head of Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), the international swimming federation.
Day one of the visit began on Sunday, August 30th, and saw PASO officials visit the future home of the new Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, including an aquatics centre, at the University of Toronto Scarborough
; the Metro Toronto Convention Centre – proposed media and broadcast centre, and event host; York University
’s Rexall Centre
and the Hershey Centre
in Mississauga. Day two on August 31st had the Evaluation Officials visiting McMaster University’s David Braley Centre in Hamilton, view the Niagara-region water courses by helicopter, and continue the day with visits to Roy Thomson Hall
, BMO Field
, Direct Energy Centre, Ricoh Coliseum
, the Air Canada Centre
and finally to the Rogers Centre
, where the opening and closing ceremonies and baseball events would take place. After the visit Maglione said, "Toronto has all the conditions to play host to the Pan American Games in 2015"
Toronto won the bidding process to host the Pan American Games by a vote of the Pan American Sports Organization on November 6, 2009, at the PASO Session held in Guadalajara
, Mexico. The result was announced by PASO President Mario Vázquez Raña
. Toronto faced two other finalists shortlisted Lima
, Peru
, and Bogota
, Colombia
. Toronto earned 33 votes while contesting candidate cities Lima and Bogotá received 11 and 7 votes, respectively.
The Toronto 2015 Organizing Committee (TO2015) along with all three levels of government will spend about $1.4 billion Canadian dollars in upgrading and building new venues in the region. The provincial government (Ontario
) and the Canadian federal government would provide 35% each of the funding, with the municipalities covering the remaining 30% of the cost. Also $1 billion Canadian dollars will be spent on building an athletes village in the West Don Lands
area of Toronto. Later in 2011 Toronto's contribution to the games almost doubled from $49.5 million to $96.5 million for several reasons: the athletics stadium was moved to York University
from Hamilton
, the soil was to be remediated at the University of Toronto Scarborough where the proposed aquatics centre is supposed to be built, and more money was needed for the proposed BMX
track and the increase in inflation.
Many transit improvements in Toronto will be made in time for these games. These include the Air Rail Link from Pearson International Airport to Union Station
, and the extension of the Yonge–University–Spadina line subway line into Vaughan
with a stop at York University
, site of three sports: athletics, rugby sevens
and tennis
.
The venues will be divided into three zones - Central Games Zone (Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Richmond Hill and Markham), West Games Zone (Hamilton) and East Games Zone (Oshawa, Ajax and Pickering). In addition there will also be venues located outside the zones in St. Catharines, Caledon, Minden and Welland.
The opening and closing ceremonies will be held at Rogers Centre
, which will be upgraded for the games. Some of the competition venues in the Toronto area included the Air Canada Centre
, BMO Field
, the Pan American Field Hockey Centre
, the Direct Energy Centre and Roy Thomson Hall
. Competition venues in the suburbs included the Hershey Centre
in Mississauga, Powerade Centre
in Brampton and General Motors Centre in Oshawa.
and then head of the organizing committee David Peterson
unveiling the logo to the public. The bid logo looks like an abstract maple leaf with three sections, each section made up of two strokes in the shape of a "v" with a spot in the centre. The colours are green, red and blue. This was the official logo of the games until 2010 when the new logo was launched.
On September 29, 2010 the official logo of the games was unveiled at a street party at Maple Leaf Square
. According to Ian Troop, the chief executive officer of Toronto 2015, the logo design is based on aboriginal art forms found throughout the Americas
. Also, the logo represents the style of pre-Columbian
aboriginal
art and Mezzo-American sport traditions from as far back as 1600 BC. It also has a curved, friendly shape that is youthful and fun, especially when combined with the bright and warm colors of the logo.
The greens and blues are clean and reflective of nature throughout the Americas, where leafy forests and clear waters dominate. The splash of orange draws in the eye and adds a youthful touch that will appeal to people from a variety of age groups. Finally, the logo is three separate shapes in orange, green and blue. They resemble a “T” and an “O” (presumably to represent Toronto) with a blob over the “T” that transforms it into a human-like figure. The numbers “20” and “15” are in white inside the letters.
Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of medal events proposed to be contested in each sport.
(Host Nation)
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
, will be a major international multi-sport event
Multi-sport event
A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
that will be held from July 10–26, 2015 in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, with some events held in the suburbs of Ajax
Ajax, Ontario
Ajax is a town in the Durham Region in the Greater Toronto Area.The town is named for the HMS Ajax a Royal Navy cruiser that served in World War II. Ajax is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and the...
, Barrie
Barrie
Barrie may refer to:* Barrie, city in Ontario, Canada* Barrie , Canadian federal electoral district* Barrie , provincial electoral district* Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, former Canadian electoral district...
, Brampton
Brampton
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.Brampton may also refer to:- Canada :* Brampton, a city in Ontario** Brampton GO Station, a station in the GO Transit network located in the city- United Kingdom :...
, Caledon
Caledon, Ontario
Caledon is a town in the Regional Municipality of Peel in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada. In terms of land use, Caledon is somewhat urban, though it is primarily rural in nature...
, Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Markham
Markham, Ontario
Markham is a town in the Regional Municipality of York, located within the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada. The population was 261,573 at the 2006 Canadian census...
, Minden, Mississauga, Oshawa
Oshawa
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
, Pickering
Pickering, Ontario
Pickering is a city located in Southern Ontario, Canada immediately east of Toronto in Durham Region. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, the largest metropolitan area in Canada.- Early Period :...
, Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Richmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario, Canada in the central portion of York Region, Ontario. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, being located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe...
, St. Catharines
St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
and Welland
Welland
-Places:* River Welland in the east of England* Welland, Worcestershire, a village in England* Welland River in Ontario, Canada, named after its English counterpart* Welland Canal, named after the Canadian river...
. Approximately 8,000 athletes from 41 nations are expected to participate in 48 sports. Both the Pan American and Parapan American Games
2015 Parapan American Games
The 5th Parapan American Games are to take place between August 7–14, 2015 in Toronto, Canada. Athletes with a physical disability will compete...
are being organized by the Toronto 2015 Organizing Committee (TO2015). The 2015 Pan American Games will become the third Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
hosted by Canada and the first by the province of Ontario. Previously, Canada hosted the 1967 Pan American Games
1967 Pan American Games
The 5th Pan American Games were held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, from July 23 to August 6, 1967.Winnipeg was chosen as host of the Pan American Games on its second try. It first bid for the fourth Pan American Games at the 1959 PASO meeting in Chicago. It lost to São Paulo, Brazil...
and the 1999 Pan American Games
1999 Pan American Games
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23-August 8, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated at the games. The 1999...
both in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
. The 2015 Parapan American Games
2015 Parapan American Games
The 5th Parapan American Games are to take place between August 7–14, 2015 in Toronto, Canada. Athletes with a physical disability will compete...
will be held 10 days after the Pan American Games.
The 2015 Pan American Games will be the first completely green Games. Staging them will be done in a carbon-neutral way and become the largest multi-sport event
Multi-sport event
A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
ever to be held in Canada.
Bid and preparations
| 2015 Pan American Games bidding results | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | NOC | Round 1 | ||||
| Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... |
33 | |||||
| Lima Lima Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima... |
11 | |||||
| Bogota Bogotá Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district... |
7 | |||||
The Canadian Olympic Association chose Toronto and the surrounding region as the Canadian candidate. No other Canadian city showed interest in staging the games, therefore Toronto was selected without a vote. Toronto's interest in bidding came after failing to land the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
and the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, which were held in Atlanta and Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
respectively.
PASO made an evaluation visit to Toronto between August 30 and 31, 2009. PASO created the Evaluation Commission, as the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
had done prior to the bidding for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. Host cities would often fly members of PASO to their city where they toured the city and were provided with gifts. The lack of oversight and transparency often led to allegations of money for votes. Afterward, changes brought forth by PASO (the same as the IOC) bidding rules were tightened, and more focused on technical aspects of candidate cities. The team analyzed the candidate city features and provided its input back to voting members of PASO. The evaluation committee was headed by Julio Maglione
Julio Maglione
Dr. Julio César Maglione is a member of the International Olympic Committee from Uruguay. He has been an IOC member since 1996....
, a member of the IOC representing Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
and the head of Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), the international swimming federation.
Day one of the visit began on Sunday, August 30th, and saw PASO officials visit the future home of the new Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, including an aquatics centre, at the University of Toronto Scarborough
University of Toronto Scarborough
The University of Toronto Scarborough is a satellite campus of the University of Toronto. Based in the Scarborough district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the campus is set upon suburban parkland in the residential neighbourhood of Highland Creek...
; the Metro Toronto Convention Centre – proposed media and broadcast centre, and event host; York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
’s Rexall Centre
Rexall Centre
Rexall Centre is a tennis stadium in Toronto, Ontario. Rexall Centre is the venue for the professional Canada Masters tournament, held annually. The facility also is a year-round tennis training facility. The main stadium is occasionally used for seasonal concerts...
and the Hershey Centre
Hershey Centre
The Hershey Centre is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment complex located in Mississauga, Ontario, across the street from Iceland Mississauga.-History:...
in Mississauga. Day two on August 31st had the Evaluation Officials visiting McMaster University’s David Braley Centre in Hamilton, view the Niagara-region water courses by helicopter, and continue the day with visits to Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall located at 60 Simcoe Street in Toronto, Ontario. It is the home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Opened in 1982, its circular architectural design exhibits a sloping and curvilinear glass exterior. It was designed by Canadian...
, BMO Field
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
, Direct Energy Centre, Ricoh Coliseum
Ricoh Coliseum
Ricoh Coliseum is an ice hockey and agricultural arena at Exhibition Place in Toronto. It serves as the home arena of the Toronto Marlies, the American Hockey League farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Toronto Triumph of the Lingerie Football League. It was formerly known as the CNE...
, the Air Canada Centre
Air Canada Centre
The Air Canada Centre is a multi-purpose indoor sporting arena located on Bay Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The arena is popularly known as the ACC or the Hangar ....
and finally to the Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
, where the opening and closing ceremonies and baseball events would take place. After the visit Maglione said, "Toronto has all the conditions to play host to the Pan American Games in 2015"
Toronto won the bidding process to host the Pan American Games by a vote of the Pan American Sports Organization on November 6, 2009, at the PASO Session held in Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
, Mexico. The result was announced by PASO President Mario Vázquez Raña
Mario Vazquez Raña
Mario Vázquez Raña is a Mexican businessman and sports administrator, who has served on both national and Olympic committees...
. Toronto faced two other finalists shortlisted Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, and Bogota
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. Toronto earned 33 votes while contesting candidate cities Lima and Bogotá received 11 and 7 votes, respectively.
The Toronto 2015 Organizing Committee (TO2015) along with all three levels of government will spend about $1.4 billion Canadian dollars in upgrading and building new venues in the region. The provincial government (Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
) and the Canadian federal government would provide 35% each of the funding, with the municipalities covering the remaining 30% of the cost. Also $1 billion Canadian dollars will be spent on building an athletes village in the West Don Lands
West Don Lands
The West Don Lands are the site of a planned neighbourhood under construction in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The area is bordered by the Don River, King Street, Parliament Street and the rail line adjacent to the Gardiner Expressway....
area of Toronto. Later in 2011 Toronto's contribution to the games almost doubled from $49.5 million to $96.5 million for several reasons: the athletics stadium was moved to York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
from Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, the soil was to be remediated at the University of Toronto Scarborough where the proposed aquatics centre is supposed to be built, and more money was needed for the proposed BMX
BMX
Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
track and the increase in inflation.
Many transit improvements in Toronto will be made in time for these games. These include the Air Rail Link from Pearson International Airport to Union Station
Union Station (Toronto)
Union Station is the major inter-city rail station and a major commuter rail hub in Toronto, located on Front Street West and occupying the south side of the block bounded by Bay Street and York Street in the central business district. The station building is owned by the City of Toronto, while the...
, and the extension of the Yonge–University–Spadina line subway line into Vaughan
Vaughan
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
with a stop at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
, site of three sports: athletics, rugby sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
.
Venues
Toronto will become one of the most populous cities to ever hold the Pan American Games. In July, the month when the Games will be held, Toronto has an average temperature of 21 °C (69.8 °F). Toronto features warm but moderate summer temperatures with an average of fewer than five days in July with temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F). As well the average monthly rainfall for July is only 67 mm. Moreover, at 112 m (367 ft) above sea level, downtown Toronto’s altitude offers ideal conditions for high-performance athletes.The venues will be divided into three zones - Central Games Zone (Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Richmond Hill and Markham), West Games Zone (Hamilton) and East Games Zone (Oshawa, Ajax and Pickering). In addition there will also be venues located outside the zones in St. Catharines, Caledon, Minden and Welland.
The opening and closing ceremonies will be held at Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
, which will be upgraded for the games. Some of the competition venues in the Toronto area included the Air Canada Centre
Air Canada Centre
The Air Canada Centre is a multi-purpose indoor sporting arena located on Bay Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The arena is popularly known as the ACC or the Hangar ....
, BMO Field
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
, the Pan American Field Hockey Centre
Pan American Field Hockey Centre
The Pan American Field Hockey Centre is a proposed field hockey facility to be built in Toronto for the 2015 Pan American Games. The facility is scheduled to be completed in 2014, one year before the games start. The stadium will have 5,000 seats, and become Ontario’s first dedicated international...
, the Direct Energy Centre and Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall located at 60 Simcoe Street in Toronto, Ontario. It is the home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Opened in 1982, its circular architectural design exhibits a sloping and curvilinear glass exterior. It was designed by Canadian...
. Competition venues in the suburbs included the Hershey Centre
Hershey Centre
The Hershey Centre is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment complex located in Mississauga, Ontario, across the street from Iceland Mississauga.-History:...
in Mississauga, Powerade Centre
Powerade Centre
The Powerade Centre is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. It was built in 1998, and officially opened the same year on October 7. Its main arena is home to a major hockey team, the Brampton Battalion of the OHL. It is also home to the Brampton Excelsiors lacrosse team...
in Brampton and General Motors Centre in Oshawa.
Logo
Toronto's bid logo was launched on October 2, 2008, with then Toronto mayor David MillerDavid Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
and then head of the organizing committee David Peterson
David Peterson
David Robert Peterson, PC, O.Ont was the 20th Premier of the Province of Ontario, Canada, from June 26, 1985 to October 1, 1990. He was the first Liberal premier of Ontario in 42 years....
unveiling the logo to the public. The bid logo looks like an abstract maple leaf with three sections, each section made up of two strokes in the shape of a "v" with a spot in the centre. The colours are green, red and blue. This was the official logo of the games until 2010 when the new logo was launched.
On September 29, 2010 the official logo of the games was unveiled at a street party at Maple Leaf Square
Maple Leaf Square
Maple Leaf Square, has a twin tower condominium called , an office, retail, entertainment and hotel complex located to the west of the Air Canada Centre in Downtown Toronto...
. According to Ian Troop, the chief executive officer of Toronto 2015, the logo design is based on aboriginal art forms found throughout the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
. Also, the logo represents the style of pre-Columbian
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
aboriginal
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
art and Mezzo-American sport traditions from as far back as 1600 BC. It also has a curved, friendly shape that is youthful and fun, especially when combined with the bright and warm colors of the logo.
The greens and blues are clean and reflective of nature throughout the Americas, where leafy forests and clear waters dominate. The splash of orange draws in the eye and adds a youthful touch that will appeal to people from a variety of age groups. Finally, the logo is three separate shapes in orange, green and blue. They resemble a “T” and an “O” (presumably to represent Toronto) with a blob over the “T” that transforms it into a human-like figure. The numbers “20” and “15” are in white inside the letters.
Sports
This is the list of the proposed sports by the Organizing Committee, it has not been finalized. 37 sports are proposed to be staged, with Basque Pelota being dropped from the last games and Futsal and Golf being added. The Toronto Organizing Committee has also proposed adding women's baseball and men´s softball to the program subject to PASO's approval.Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of medal events proposed to be contested in each sport.
- CanoeingCanoeingCanoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
- Canoe sprint (12)
_pictogram.svg.png)
- Canoe slalom (4)
_pictogram.svg.png)
-
- CyclingCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
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BMXBMXBicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
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Mountain bikingMountain bikingMountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
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RoadRoad bicycle racingRoad bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
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TrackTrack cyclingTrack cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....
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- GymnasticsGymnasticsGymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
- Artistic gymnastics
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Artistic gymnasticsArtistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...
(14) - Rhythmic gymnastics
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Rhythmic gymnasticsRhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or teams of competitors manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: rope, clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon and Free . An individual athlete only manipulates 1 apparatus at a time...
(8) - Trampoline
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TrampolineA trampoline is a device consisting of a piece of taut, strong fabric stretched over a steel frame using many coiled springs. People bounce on trampolines for recreational and competitive purposes....
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Participating teams
All 41 nations of PASO are expected to compete.(Host Nation)