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June 26th, 2013
Media Release
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER PAN AM PATH LEGACY - JULY 3RD
// Ambitious Pan Am Path proposal combines the power of culture and sport to create a living path across Toronto. Project aims to bridge suburban-urban divide with arts and active living opportunities from Brampton to Pickering. Please visit http://www.PanAmPath.org for a video, map and quotes. //
Toronto, ON // On July 3rd, the City of Toronto's Executive Committee is set to consider the the Pan Am Path as one of the legacy projects of the 2015 Pan Am / Parapan Am Games. In support of a report released by City Staff ( http://tinyurl.com/EX33-13 ) Friends of the Pan Am Path have created a video on the proposal here: ( http://www.PanAmPath.org ) and proposal deck: ( http://tinyurl.com/PanAmPath - 8 mb download). The Pan Am Path is a proposal to connect Toronto's trails as an active-living legacy for the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. If approved by Executive Committee and Council, the project will accelerate the creation of a continuous trail across Toronto for walking, running and biking. The path aims to link neighborhoods across the city and engage diverse communities in the creation of opportunities for art, enriched public spaces, tourism and commerce. At twelve sites along the path, local arts organizations would work with Pan American artists to shine a light on the best in their communities. The multi-use path will connect key sites for the Pan Am Games, and go through seven Neighbourhood Improvement Areas; running from the edge of Brampton, to Rexdale, down to the waterfront, up the Don Valley and across to UofT Scarborough via the Gatineau Hydro Corridor. The route will officially end at Port Union where it connects with the Waterfront Trail. The community-initiated project (now formalized as the Friends of the Pan Am Path, visit http://www.panampath.org ) was created as a city building project of Civic Action's DiverseCity Fellows, working with Toronto Artist and Curator Devon Ostrom. The proposal is backed by Manifesto Community Projects, Evergreen Brick Works, Jane's Walk, the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at UofT as well as Hart House. Arts organizations from all corners of Toronto have also voiced support including Etobicoke Arts, Lakeshore Arts, Urban Arts, North York Arts, East End Arts and the Scarborough Arts Council. Friends of the Pan Am Path is financially supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The feasibility of the proposal has been considered by City Staff at the Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Transportation Services, and Economic Development and Culture Divisions. If the project is approved by Executive Committee (July 3rd) and Council (July 16th), participating organizations and art projects will be selected through an open call for Expressions of Interest. QUOTES OF SUPPORT FOR THE PAN AM PATH PROPOSAL
"Connecting and strengthening communities, providing excellent value for taxpayers and creating opportunities for artists in all parts of Toronto are the reasons why I got into politics. As a supporter of the Pan Am Path since the beginning, I look forward to helping bridge that divide that separates downtown and the inner suburbs. Residents across our city are asking for more active and healthy lives -- and this proposal will definitely deliver."
- Councillor Gary Crawford, Ward 36 - Scarborough Southwest
"The Pan Am Path acknowledges that the best of our city, exists in all parts of our city. Not only will it give a big boost to culture, tourism and local economic development across our city, it will bring artistic and economic opportunities to young people in the seven Neighbourhood Improvement Areas that the route connects." - Councillor Michael Thompson, Chair of Economic Development and Culture, Councillor, Ward 37 - Scarborough Centre
"The Pan Am Path does not go through my ward but I clearly see the value for all of Toronto. Building a 'bridge' of active living and quality arts opportunities from the inner suburbs to downtown is an amazing dream that I have supported since its inception. I am very much looking forward to helping take this from paper into reality and then under my bike!"
- Councillor Joe Mihevc, Ward 21 - St. Paul's
"The ravines of Toronto are unique in the world. No other city has such an elaborate, such an extensive network of natural spaces. It's the defining aspect of Toronto. We have great hospitals, cultural institutions, universities, but so does New York, London, Chicago, Milan, Beijing. What we do have categorically unique is the ravine system. It's an asset for everyone. It doesn't distinguish between rich and poor and cultural diversity. It's available to all of us and it weaves virtually every neighbourhood, every community together, because it's physically so extensive. Connecting it all through a Pan Am Path, and drawing in the waterfront, will allow us to celebrate our natural spaces respectfully." - Geoff Cape, CEO Evergreen & Evergreen Brick Works
"The cultural power of art and sport combined is a force to be reckoned with. The Pan Am Path proposal focuses this energy to celebrate active, healthy living and physically pull together Toronto for 2015 -- uniting the city from end to end and highlighting some of the best the city has to offer. On opening day, I invite you to join me in biking, running and walking the trail, discovering new parts of the city and enjoying the creative vitality that shines across Toronto." - Ian Troop CEO, TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee
"In addition to its many benefits, the Pan Am Path is about opportunity and choice. I am particularly interested in its focus on meaningfully engaging some of Toronto's most vibrant, yet under-served neighbourhoods. From the opportunity for a young person to access a first summer job painting a mural or working in a trailside caf�, to opening up transportation options for walking, running or cycling in safe spaces. I look forward to seeing this project realized and am proud that civic leaders across our region, including the DiverseCity Fellows, are helping to bring it to life." - Naki Osutei Director, Human Resources, Diversity and Inclusion, TORONTO 2015 Pan American/Parapan American Games Organizing Committee
MORE INFO General Inquiries Media Inquiries Devon Ostrom, Curator Friends of the Pan Am Path 416 528 5747 | 
