May 1, 2015
The City of Toronto, along with the Friends of the Pan Am Path, announced the full programming details of the Pan Am Path Art Relay – a multi-event art and music festival taking place along the Path, in the weeks leading up to the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games at a press conference held today at City Hall.
"As we know, the TORONTO 2015 Games offer a unique opportunity for this city and our residents," said Councillor Mark Grimes (Ward 6 Etobicoke-Lakeshore), the City's Pan Am Champion. "The Pan Am Path Art Relay is the perfect example of everything the Games will mean to Toronto – art, music, sport, legacy and much more. The Path gives residents an active recreation and transportation trail that spans our great city, one to be enjoyed for years to come. And, the Art Relay is a city-wide celebration that no one should miss."
From May 16 to August 15, the Art Relay will travel across Toronto along the Pan Am Path to celebrate the city's diversity, nature and arts. The series of events will feature public art installations, music, performances and family-friendly festivals. Watch the Art Relay video trailer at
https://vimeo.com/125591408.
"The Art Relay is an opportunity to get active and explore the cultures and places that make up Toronto, from watching the Humber Arboretum spring to life on May 16, to the sun setting at Rouge Beach on August 15," said Devon Ostrom, Lead Curator for the Friends of the Pan Am Path.
The Art Relay will launch on May 16 at the Centre for Urban Ecology in the Humber Arboretum at Humber College. The launch event will be preceded by a ride-along on the path with Curt Harnett, Chef de Mission, TORONTO 2015 Canadian Pan Am Games team and four-time Olympian.
"I'm very excited to be a part of the Art Relay launch event," said Curt Harnett. "I look forward to getting out on the Path and really experiencing Toronto. Come out on May 16 and ride the Pan Am Path with me."
Friends of the Pan Am Path will also launch a Pan Am Path app, a wayfinding mobile app that matches geographic location on the Path to music that is rooted in the neighbouring communities through four local music-streaming stations. The Pan Am Path app will feature a full map of the Path, directions to nearby attractions, recreational facilities, accessible routes and a calendar of Pan Am Path Art Relay programming.
The Pan Am Path, a legacy of the TORONTO 2015 Games and the City’s Host City Showcase Program, is 84 kilometres of continuous, multi-use pathway for walking, running, biking and wheeling. The Pan Am Path spans the city from east to west by connecting Toronto’s existing trails system. Toronto City Council approved the Pan Am Path concept in July 2013 with support from the Parks, Forestry and Recreation; Economic Development and Culture; and Transportation Services divisions as well as the Host City Showcase Program. Legacy construction for improvements and to create new connections along the Pan Am Path will continue through 2017.
About Friends of the Pan Am Path
Friends of the Pan Am Path is the main organizer of the Pan Am Path Art Relay, motivated by the chance to celebrate the best of the region while also creating a meaningful legacy of the TORONTO 2015 Games for residents. Much of the route lies on existing trails and pathways that are being improved and connected.
About the Host City Showcase Program
Toronto’s Host City Showcase Program supports the City’s efforts in preparing for the Games and fulfils its role as Host City of the TORONTO 2015 Games. The program's projects and initiatives aim to boost economic development and tourism, foster sport development and healthy living, increase resident engagement in the Games, deliver cultural celebrations and extend the legacy and benefits of the Games across the city.
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit
http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.
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Media contacts:
Andrea Gonsalves, Strategic Communications, City of Toronto, 416-397-4149, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Andrea Chrysanthou, Lotus Leaf Marketing (for Friends of the Path Am Path), 416-722-3793, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Julia Che, Lotus Leaf Marketing (for Friends of the Path Am Path), 416-928-1978, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
