"Toronto's Interactive Olympic Centre opens just in time"

by Megan Leach - Canadian Press

Toronto, Canada - Thursday, August 19, 2004

TORONTO -- The paint is barely dry on the walls but Toronto's Olympic Spirit Centre is almost ready to welcome the world. The facility opens to the public this Saturday and promises an interactive Olympic experience for visitors of all ages.

The $40-million permanent centre, located in the heart of downtown, is the first of its kind in the world. Olympic Spirit Toronto expects to attract 535,000 visitors in its first year.

A percentage of all revenue from the centre will go to the Canadian Olympic Committee to help further the careers of Canada's athletes, says Peter Doyle, the centre's chief operating officer.

''It goes directly to the Excellence Fund, which is a fund where 100 per cent of the money goes directly to athletes to help in training, help in coaching, help in competitions,'' said Doyle. ''We expect over $500,000 a year annually will go directly to the Excellence Fund.''

Former Olympic skier Brian Stemmle is the centre's ''chief leisure officer,'' which means he'll be on site to provide commentary to visitors.

''It's great for athletes especially,'' Stemmle said of the centre. ''The Olympics are our lives and our dreams, and it's nice to be able to keep those alive a little bit longer.''

Among the attractions, Olympic fans are treated to a 12-minute film in the Olympic Stadium theatre. The film The Calling showcases highlights and emotional moments from the history of the Games.

Simulator games allow children and adults to pit their skills against athletes in both winter and summer sports, including hockey, bobsled, figure skating, 100-metre sprint, rowing and long jump.

The centre employs more than 50 athletes and former Olympic medallists to give visitors first-hand insight into the Games. Olympic Spirit Toronto's director of corporate and athlete programs is three-time Olympic gold medallist for rowing, Marnie McBean.

''We have various athletes working in the facility. We have a number of Olympic hopefuls for Beijing 2008,'' said Doyle. ''We're setting our work schedules around their training schedules and their competition schedules. Someone needs three months off to go to Europe to train for a world championship - we love that. We're going to support that.''

The IOC gave the go-ahead in 1995 for three Olympic Spirit test centres to be developed. The first, Olympic Spirit Munich, opened in 1999 in Olympia Park, site of the 1972 Games.

The success of the Munich test project led the IOC to sign an agreement with the International Spirit Development Organization to design and develop centres worldwide. The Toronto project was announced in 2001.

''Because we are the first Olympic Spirit facility in the world, it's been a long process,'' said Doyle. ''Four years, same period as the Games.''

Originally slated to open in April of this year, and then pushed back closer to the start of the Athens Games, the centre is still putting finishing touches on the facility ahead of the Saturday opening. ''We want to make sure that everything is in perfect order, not only safety-wise but from a guest experience point of view,'' said Doyle of the centre's delayed opening not coinciding with the start of the Games. ''We always said we'd open during the Games and that's where we are today.''

Doyle feels the centre will bring a welcome boost to Toronto's tourist industry, which has suffered in recent years. ''Probably initially 50 per cent of people visiting Olympic Spirit Toronto will be tourists,'' he says. ''Olympic Spirit Toronto gives them another reason to stay. It's a half-day experience.''

Doyle isn't worried about the attraction's lustre fading quickly after the completion of the Athens Games. ''Even when the Games in Athens are over, Olympics are going to be in the forefront of everyone's minds as we build through 2006 and 2008 until 2010 in Vancouver,'' he said.

The centre is located in Toronto's Yonge-Dundas Square and is part of the area's revitalization into a welcoming tourist hub for the city.

''I can see an amazing opportunity to invest in our youth,'' said Toronto city councillor Kyle Rae of the centre, which is entirely privately funded. ''I'm hoping the city will be able to respond in providing better recreation opportunities for our youth so that they can be Olympians in the future. This is a great opportunity for the city to work with the private sector to make sure there is a future for Canada's youth at the Olympics.''

> BACK