Hundreds gathered outside the Harry Lumley Bayshore Thursday night to greet the Pan Am Flame as the torch run ended its day with a stop in Owen Sound. The torch run is going through many cities and towns in Ontario ahead of the 2015 Pan Am games in Toronto.
After stops in Simcoe County and Meaford, the torch run continued with a number of runners through the city and ended in the hands of Olympian and World Cup skier Larisa Yurkiw. The Owen Sounder lit the cauldron with her torch to a rousing applause in her home town.
She said it was a proud moment.
"My cheeks are cramping from smiling for an hour and a half!" She laughed, adding that she shared every second with the community around her. "There are people here from every walk of life and it was a big honour."
Yurkiw was thrilled to get the chance to carry the flame after missing out on an earlier opportunity. When the Olympic flame came to the city before the 2010 games Yurkiw was injured and unable to take part in the torch run.
"It was sad to watch it and see the torch walk by me so (today) was an incredible experience."
After the lighting of the cauldron by Yurkiw the Pan Am flame stays overnight in Owen Sound. The Torch Run continues to go through Grey County Friday with stops in Markdale (10:45) and Flesherton (11:15).
A video of the events in Owen Sound by Kirk Scott can be found below.
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Mayor Ian Boddy speaks with hundreds gathered outside the Harry Lumley Bayshore as the Pan Am flame stopped in Owen Sound. (By Ryan Brandt)
Before the end of day festivities in Owen Sound the Pan Am flame first appeared in Grey County with a run through Meaford. About a dozen residents young and older carried the torch from the ValuMart Plaza in the southeast end of urban Meaford to its northwest limits. At the Plaza to pay tribute to the torch carriers and the 2015 Pan Am Games were Meaford’s Mayor, Barbara Clumpus, MP Larry Miller and MPP Bill Walker.
Meaford's community torchbearer was cross country runner Hannah Woodhouse.
“I feel honoured,” she said ahead of the run, “to represent my community, athletic club, and country at an international level.”
Elizabeth MacDonald(left) was one of the torchbearers to run through Meaford Thursday and pictured with father Bill MacDonald, owner of Bill's ValuMart, Meaford Mayor Barbara Clumpus, MP Larry Miller and MPP Bill Walker (By Jim Armstrong)
*With files from Kirk Scott and Jim Armstrong
