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RobFordpickshis'sportsguy'toboostthe2015PanAm's
NatalieAlcoba
PostmediaNews
580words
8July2011
PostmediaNews
CWNS
English
Copyright2011CanwestNewsService

TORONTOWithfouryearstogobefore10,000athletesandofficialsdescendontheTorontoarea,MayorRobFordannouncedhisPanAmGamesSecretariat,
puttingthe"sportsguy"oncitycouncilinchargeofmaximizingtheeconomicandtourismspinoffs.
MarkGrimes,ahockeyandlacrossecoach,wasnamedchairmanofthesecretariat,whichwillincludefourorfiveothercitycouncillorsandorganizecompanionevents
duringthePanAmericanGamesinJuly2015,andtheParapanAmericancompetitionthefollowingmonth.ItwillbethelargestsportingeventinCanadianhistorytwice
thesizeoftheVancouverOlympics.
Mr.GrimessaidThursdaythattheMayoris"verysupportive"oftheevent,whilestillmindfulthattaxpayersdon'tfeelthepinch.MayorFordandthePanAmGamesgot
offtoabumpystartwhenhewas"blindsided,"justweeksaftertakingoffice,bynewsthatthecitywouldhavetofootalargerbillthanexpectedforcapitalprojects.He
vowednottopayforanyotherlastminutesurprises.
"Thereisconcernsaboutcostoverruns,"Mr.Grimestoldreporters."Theseniorlevels[ofgovernment]willbepickingupanycostoverruns,butagain,there'sone
taxpayerandwe'rehopingtherearen'tgoingtobeanyoverruns."
Sofar,thereisnobudgetforthesecretariatoranycityprogrammingforthesecretariat.Mr.Grimeshopestoannouncehisteammemberswithinthecomingweeks.
Thegroupwillbrainstormhowto"maximizethegames,howdoweinvitetheworldtoseeTorontoandwhatdowewantthemtosee.Wewantthemtoseethewhole
city,"saidMr.Grimes."It'sagreatopportunitytoshowcaseit."
IanTroop,CEOofToronto2015,applaudedMayorFord'ssupportandsaidtheorganizingcommitteeisgetting"greatresponse"frompotentialsponsors,international
athleticfederationsandlocalresidentsasitcontinuestospreadthewordaboutPanAm.Admittedly,it'sa"differentsell"thantheOlympics,whichbenefitsfrom
incrediblebrandrecognition.
"Peoplearen'tveryfamiliarwithit.Myownmotherdidn'tknowwhatthePanAmswere,"saidMr.Troop.But,hesaid,ashewalkspeoplethrough"whatarethey,why
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aretheyimportant,andwhytheyshouldcare...theyseethecompellingeconomicopportunityofthem."
DeputyMayorDougHolydaysaidheis"supportive"oftheGames,while"veryleery"ofitcostingthecitymoremoney.Heurgedrestraintwhenplanningthecity'sown
efforts."It'sfineifthey'responsoredeventsandtheycomplementthegamesbutlet'smakesurewe'renotgoingtoaddtothetaxburden,becausewealreadyhave
morethanwecanhandle,"saidMr.Holyday.
AthletesfromNorth,SouthandCentralAmericawillcompetein48differentsportsinvenuesacrosstheGoldenHorseshoein2015.Earlierthisyearthecityapproved
spendingupto$96millionfor$344.5millionworthofsportsfacilities(thebalancecoveredbyupperlevelsofgovernmentandtheUniversityofToronto).Newvenuesin
TorontoincludeanaquaticscentreattheUofTScarborough,andatrackandfieldstadiumatYorkUniversity.
Mr.TroopsaidtheTorontogamesareontimeandonbudget.Constructiononvenueswillbeginnextspringandareslatedforcompletionin2014.
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