Applauding the Spirit of Faster, Higher, Stronger

By Erin Pooley

Toronto, Canada - Monday, August 23, 2004 (page A3)

At a new Olympic-themed entertainment complex in Toronto, it's all fun and Games as visitors try out sporting events firsthand

Jaylan Birl hopes to bring home a gold medal for Canada one day.

And although the 11-year-old Toronto gymnast still has a long way to go, yesterday's gold-medal finish by Canadian gymnast Kyle Shewfelt was all he needed to boost the boy's hopes for a future Olympic victory of his own.

"I want to go to the Olympics -- I want to win the gold for Canada in gymnastics," said Jaylan as he dangled from the rings at Toronto's recently opened Olympic-themed entertainment complex, known as Olympic Spirit Toronto.

The $42-million, 52,000 square-foot facility -- the first of its kind in the world -- is located in the hub of Toronto's busy downtown core, near the Eaton Centre, and is being touted by its operators as an "awe-inspiring" year-round facility for tourists, parents, children, sports fans and educators who want to learn more about the Olympic experience.

Staffed by 41 Canadian athletes, including rower Marnie McBean and skier Brian Stemmle, the flashy new complex features five floors of Olympic-themed activities, including simulators and interactive displays.

Licensed in part by the International Olympic Committee, the complex is the first in a series of similar centres planned to open worldwide.

Yesterday, Jaylan and about 20 teammates from his gymnastic club in Mississauga, Ont., dashed excitedly from floor to floor in their shiny blue and red leotards, spurred on by Canada's first gold-medal win and fourth medal of the Games.

"It was awesome. He's totally cool," said Jaylan, referring to Calgary gymnast Kyle Shewfelt.

Earlier, hundreds of spectators burst into applause as they watched the gymnast grab gold on a giant TV screen installed at Toronto's Dundas Square for the duration of the Games.

"People just stopped and came right off Yonge Street. They were dancing and singing the Canadian anthem -- it was really a great moment," said Kris Burley, Olympic Spirit Toronto's marketing manager.

Inside the facility, on the Winter Games floor, several giddy youngsters lined up to see how many times they could score in a shootout against a simulated goalie.

Others tried their hand at the biathlon as they strapped themselves into a cross-country skiing simulator, before jumping out and shooting at a target with a laser rifle.

On the Summer Games floor, which features weightlifting, cycling, rowing and gymnastics stations, 10-year-old Christina Bezouska tumbled across the blue floor mat, ending her routine with a flip and a cartwheel.

Even Jaylan's father, Frank Birl, joined in on the fun after conceding that many of the Olympic sports he tried "are much harder than they look.

"When you see curling on TV, it doesn't look that exciting, but the skill level is quite difficult," said Mr. Birl, who admitted to breaking a sweat as he swept a curling rock down the mock rink with his son in tow.

"In the next four years, I'll be in the Olympics," he said with a laugh.

Despite Canada's disappointing medal tally so far in the 2004 Summer Games, many of the young Olympic hopefuls who visited the entertainment complex yesterday did not seem discouraged by Canada's lack of gold, silver and bronze.

"The children aren't so worried about the medals," said Chris Foo, a coach at Jaylan's gymnastics club. "They're just excited about getting to do the sport."

He warned, however, that if Canada wants to send Olympic hopefuls like Jaylan to future Summer Games, Canada will need to pony up when it comes to supporting its athletes.

"It all comes down to the funding," Mr. Foo said. "Unless their parents are financially set up to do that, it's not going to happen. There's got to be some sort of incentive program for young athletes with futures."

Olympic Spirit Toronto is managed by Toros Entertainment Inc. Owners of the complex hope to attract more than 500,000 visitors within the first year of operation. Admission ranges from about $9 for students to $55 for a family of four.

The privately owned complex, which opened on Saturday, was supposed to open at the beginning of August to coincide with the start of the Summer Games in Athens, but was plagued by delays.

"We opened when we were ready," Peter Doyle, Spirit's chief operating officer, said yesterday. "The level of Olympic interest is at its peak so now's a good time."

Mr. Doyle said several hundred people visited the complex in its first two days.

For Joyce Ho and her seven-year-old son, Jonathan, who travelled from Richmond Hill, Ont., to check out the complex, yesterday was a chance to share in the some of the magic of the real games in Athens.

"Every day we sit in front of the TV and see the games. Now we actually get a chance to be par.

> BACK