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Torchbearer announced for O-ville Pan Am relay

April 29, 2015   ·   0 Comments

When the Pan Am games torch relay comes to Orangeville on June 12, 2015, Olympian Brian Price will be the community torchbearer as the relay arrives at Tony Rose arena for the official welcome.

The announcement was made at a special public meeting at Orangeville Town Hall on Saturday, April 25.

Members of council, mayor Jeremey Williams, MPP Sylvia Jones, and MP David Tilson were in attendance.

“The Pan Am Games torch relay will start on May 30, and will end on July 10, with the lighting of the cauldron at the opening ceremony in downtown Toronto,” Said Orangeville councillor and member of the organizing committee, Don Kidd. “It’s an honour for those who are chosen to be torch bearers along the route.”

Price is a former Olympian who competed with the Canadian men’s eight rowing team as the coxswain winning three world championships and several medals in world rowing events.

In the Olympics, Price brought home a gold from the 2008 games in Beijing and a silver from the 2012 games in London.

He is also a member of the Canadian Olympic Sports Hall of Fame.

Price retired from rowing in 2014 and relocated to Orangeville.

During the announcement, Price explained that as a child he had cancer and the subsequent successful treatment probably hampered his growth. Although he would not be considered a tall person, he is not ‘short’ but his size ideally suited him for participated as a coxswain in the sport.

“It wasn’t a great time in my life,” He said of his early treatments,”But it turned into a really great thing,” in his sports career.

Price said he appreciated the torch ceremony being held at Tony Rose arena as he also coaches hockey there.

“I really appreciate this honour,” He said. “I will do my best to light the cauldron and do the town proud.”

Member of Parliament for Dufferin-Caledon, David Tilson, announced that Orangeville will be recieving $10,000 in funding from the federal government for the Pan Am and Parapan Am torch relay celebration.

Over all the Government of Canada has committed up to $500 million to the 2015 games.

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