Toronto Pan Am Games will leave built legacy

The Toronto 2015 Pan Am/ Parapan Am Games (TO2015) are all about leaving a legacy, says the event’s new chief executive officer.

Benefits from the Games go beyond sports: CEO

“We’re not just hosting a Games, we’re building this region,” said Saad Rafi, speaking at the Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) 87th annual convention, which also sported the legacy theme.

“We’re working to create a social, an economic and sport legacy from these Games that transforms us, not just for a few weeks, but for decades.”

Rafi took over from Ian Troop as CEO of TO2015 on Jan. 6.

Most recently Rafi served as deputy minister of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. He also served as Ontario’s deputy minister of energy and infrastructure, transportation and community safety, and held senior government positions in the Cabinet Office, Ontario SuperBuild Corporation, economic development and trade.

During his 25-year career, he also built an advisory practice in infrastructure and project finance and was a partner with Deloitte and Touche LLP.

One of the keys to success to the Toronto Games, which will be Canada’s largest multi-sport event, is the “impressive list” of corporate sponsors, said Rafi.

“We’ve raised significantly more money than any previous Pan Am or Parapan Am Games. The support and interest from corporate Canada has been incredible as they clearly see the value in investing in their communities and amateur sport.”

CIBC was the Games’ first sponsor four years ago and it was just announced on Feb. 3 that Atos joined the Games as a Premier Partner to provide Games systems integration services, as well as timing, scoring and results solutions and services for the events.

As part of the partnership, the new multipurpose centre under construction in downtown Markham — where athletes will compete in Pan Am badminton, table tennis and water polo, as well as Parapan table tennis — will be named the Atos Atos Markham Pan Am/Parapan Am Centre during Games time.

As a result of the Games, investments have been made in 10 new venues and upgrades to 15 existing facilities across the region.

“The Games will create a lasting economic legacy for the region. In addition to the new and improved sport facilities, the Games are fast tracking important infrastructure improvements that would either take much longer to bring on stream or wouldn’t happen at all,” said Rafi.

The provincial government estimates that these projects are creating approximately 26,000 jobs. It is estimated the Games will grow Ontario’s real GDP by 3.7 billion dollars between 2009 and 2017.

The venues are on schedule and on or under budget, said Rafi. Construction began in 2012 and the majority of the venues will be completed a year ahead of schedule.

“The venues were designed with their future owners for sustaining legacy value. They all have a purpose after the Games are over. They will serve their community’s needs as well,” he said.

There will be 10,000 athletes, coaches and officials from 41 countries competing in 51 sports in 30 venues across 15 municipalities.

The Games will leave an elite level sports legacy in the region, says Rafi.

“The new and upgraded athletics facilities will also help transform the region into a world class centre of excellence for key international competitive sports, a magnet to draw athletes both for intensive state-of -the-art training in year round races and to high level national and international competitions for decades to come”

The Games’ legacy will also be social and inclusive of the area residents as they will require 20,000 volunteers.

“They will be the heart and soul of these games and they will represent the best of us,” said Rafi.

“The Games will leave a volunteer talent pool, people from across the region that are engaged in their communities and aspire to make them better.”

TO2015 is also making the Games more affordable so average families can watch the sporting events. There will be 1.7 million tickets available and 75 per cent of them will be under $40.

The Pan Am Games run July 10 to 26, 2015 and the Parapan Am Games Aug. 7 to 14, 2015. For more information about the Games visit www.toronto2015.org..

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