Saturday, December 19, 2009

Olympic Torch Relay Port Credit Mississauga Ontario

 The Olympic Torch Relay came to Mississauga today, and after ceremonies at City Centre, including runs by Mayor Hazel McCallion and olympian Kurt Browning, the torch relay headed south on Hurontario (Highway 10) to Lakeshore Road in Port Credit.

Here are a few pictures of the torch relay, and a short video to give some idea of the happy crowds that lined the relay route. Click on an image to enlarge, then click the Back button to return to this page.


Santa at the Lighthouse Port Credit ON

Santa handed out Canada flags and good cheer at the Lighthouse 'home' of the Port Credit BIA. The BIA handed out pizza, sandwiches, hot coffee and hot chocolate. The cup of hot coffee was a perfect antidote for my frozen fingers. Thanks, Ellen!


Olympic Torch Relay Bus Mississauga

The torch bearers did a good job keeping on schedule! Their ETA in Port Credit was 1:50 p.m., and they were punctual! All told, the torch relay will cover 45,000 kilometers or 28,000 miles.


Crowds Cheering Torch Bearers

Though crowds were sparse when I arrived around 1 p.m., within a half hour, the sidewalks were filling fast all along Lakeshore Road, and the Starbucks west of the Lighthouse had lines out the door!


Olympic Torch Relay Handover on Lakeshore Rd. Bridge

As flashing lights atop police cars heralded the approaching torch, crowds spilled from the sidewalks on either side of the Lakeshore Road bridge and filled the traffic lanes. Oddly enough, for as regimented and rule-ridden as Canadians usually are, the police did not block traffic lanes, other than at intersections.

I half - expected some excited, distracted relay watcher to come a cropper, but drivers slowed down and gave the right of way to jaywalkers.


Taking up the torch, Holding it high!

Now, as luck would have it, I lost my lovely vantage point from the terrace at the Lighthouse when an eastbound cube van got stuck in the relay crowd and blocked the view.

A fast run around the lighthouse, down the stairs and around the base brought me out onto Lakeshore Road in time to take a few fast pictures before the police cleared the roadway.


Torch Relay Port Credit

In the video below, you can hear what I heard as this torch bearer's name: I heard 'Laura', and checking online, the only Laura mentioned as torch bearer in Mississauga is 'Greer'. If I have incorrectly identified her, please correct me.

 
 Torch Heads West Through Port Credit

Here's a shot of the joyful- looking torch bearer jogging along Lakeshore Road West towards Clarke Hall.


Approaching Mississauga Road

Laura kept up a lively pace, and quite a few in the crowd tried to keep up with her as the relay neared the intersection at Mississauga Road.


Olympic Torch Shawnmarr and Lakeshore

And though I gave it my best, I couldn't catch up, let alone overtake the relay contingent. My plan was to take a picture as the torch passed the Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens near my house.

Here's a short video of the torch relay sights and sounds in Port Credit.

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, Yes Laura Greer is the correct name - what a joy it has been for me to read your blog! I thoroughly enjoyed this phenomenal once in a lifetime opportunity to say the very least. To carry the Olympic flame was an undescribably proud moment for me to share along with all Canadians on the route and watching from home.

Karen said...

Hi!

Thanks for letting me know about the name!! My sleuthing skills are still sharp :-)

It occurred to me that, in a country where we likely couldn't agree on toppings for a pizza, we all seemed to be totally thrilled with the torch relay.

Babes in arms, seniors in wheelchairs and all of us in between turned out, ignored the cold winds, and had a marvelous time with nary a grumble.

Much of Canada is so far from the Olympic site that the torch relay criss-crossing the country was the first unifying factor to bring us into the Games fold.

Karen said...

Port Credit celebrates its 175th anniversary with a special Pond Hockey Tournament this Saturday, January 9th at P.C. Memorial Park.

Five local teams comprised of six players each will compete in a series of exciting head-to-head matches. The tournament kicks off with a special opening ceremony at 8:00 a.m., where Ward 1 Councillor Carmen Corbasson will drop the first puck on the ice.

The first game begins at 8:30 a.m., with matches continuing throughout the day:

Game 1 (8:30 a.m.) - Village Times vs. Fram Huskies

Game 2 (9:10 a.m.) - Johnny Max Axemen vs. Penguins

Game 3 (9:50 a.m.) - PC Warriors vs. Fram Huskies

Game 4 (10:30 a.m.) - Village Times vs. Penguins

Game 5 (11:10 a.m.) - Johnny Max Axemen vs. PC Warriors

Game 6 (11:50 a.m.) - Fram Huskies vs. Penguins

Game 7 (12:30 p.m.) - Village Times vs. Johnny Max Axemen
Game 8 (1:10 p.m.) - PC Warriors vs. Village Times

Game 9 (1:50 p.m.) - Fram Huskies vs. Johnny Max Axemen

Game 10 (2:30 p.m.) - Penguins vs. PC Warriors


The championship game takes place at 3:15 p.m., with the final two teams duking it out to claim the top prize.

All players will receive a commemorative P.C. 175th Anniversary retro-style jersey. Tournament participants must be 18 years of age or older in order to be eligible to play.

Port Credit will celebrate its 175th anniversary all year long with several community events, including historical walking tours throughout the village in May, the P.C. Garden Tour in September and a special Port Credit-based play by Eleventh House Performing Arts in November. The P.C. 175th Anniversary Celebration will be held on the same day as the Paint The Town Red Canada Day event, July 1st, 2010.

The Port Credit Pond Hockey Tournament will take place at P.C. Memorial Park, located at 20 Lakeshore Rd. E.

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