Pan American Games Village to be Located in West Don Lands
McGuinty Government Investing in Development of Toronto’s Waterfront
Ontario announced the location for the proposed 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games athletes’
village today as Toronto’s West Don Lands.
The proposed village, should the city win its bid to host the games, could accommodate up to
8,500 athletes and team officials in a single, centrally located area, and could include the
following components:
1. Sport and recreation facilities such as a recreation centre, a 50-metre pool, a 400-metre track,
parkland and walking/running/cycling trails.
2. An accreditation centre to process athletes, team officials and visitors.
3. Retail space, restaurants, medical centre, banks, entertainments areas, and other
conveniences.
After the Games, the village is expected to become part of a new community of high-quality
affordable housing and market units already planned for the West Don Lands.
Using the West Don Lands for the village complements Waterfront Toronto’s revitalization effort
well underway and capitalizes on the opportunities that hosting the Pan Am Games presents. It
also ensures site clean-up and a significant portion of land development occurs by 2015,
several years earlier than currently envisioned.
Quotes
“The West Don Lands is poised to become one of the most exciting new neighbourhoods in
Toronto. As part of the Ontario government’s commitment to revitalizing Toronto’s waterfront,
we are creating an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable waterfront community
there, and the Pan American Village is certainly part of that plan.”
– George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure
“The 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games are an opportunity to showcase Ontario and host
an exceptional event. The athletes’ village is a key component of the bid. This site will provide
a safe, home away from home for athletes to live and train during the games.”
– Margarett Best, Minister of Health Promotion
“This new development will be an exceptional fit for the requirements of the Games and also a
wonderful legacy for the City of Toronto. Development in the West Don Lands is already
underway as part of a great intergovernmental partnership – it only makes sense to accelerate
these plans by using this site for the Pan American Village.”
– David Peterson, Chair of the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games bid
Quick Facts
All three levels of government have already committed to fund the development of
infrastructure and parks in the West Don Lands as part of a broader $1.5 billion commitment
that supports projects across Toronto’s waterfront.
The Pan Am Games is a major international multi-sport event, held every four years.
The games consist of all Summer Olympic sports, plus other non-Olympic events, and serve
as an Olympic-qualifier.
The last Pan Am Games were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in July 2007 and the next will
take place in Guadalajara, Mexico in October 2011.
For more information on Toronto’s bid for the Pan / Parapan American Games,.
