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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, June 25, 2015 | 6 Sports editor carries Pan Am torch for the Beaver by Jon Kuiperij Oakville Beaver Sports Editor Spotlight "Connected to your Community" I t's a question that myself and fellow writers routinely ask of our subjects before a major event. "What do you expect it to be like?" Before I was to represent Metroland Media Group's Halton Division in the Pan Am Games torch relay Friday in Burlington, a few people asked me that very question. I even asked myself. But it has dawned on me I haven't actually And I didn't know what to say. seen any of these people in live international As someone who is much more comfortcompetition. able covering the story than being part of it, These people have been our neighbours, I wasn't at ease with the prospect of being in grown up in our schools, developed their skills the spotlight. I was also uncertain how intense in our associations. These people are what Tothat spotlight might be, given the many critironto 2015, if you're still searching for a reason cisms -- the cost, traf c, the fact that it's not to embrace the Games, can be about. the Olympics -- and overall apathy the ToMark Oldershaw, the Burloak Canoe Club ronto Games have met. paddler who won Olympic canoeing bronze Yes, these Games will reportedly cost in the three years ago in London, ran the last leg in vicinity of $2 billion, a lot of which will fall on Friday's relay, lighting the Pan Am cauldron the shoulders of taxpayers. Yes, the alreadyat Burlington's Spencer Smith Park -- a short horri c traf c in the Greater Toronto Area will canoe ride from where he spent the rst eight be exacerbated by the mass in ux of visitors. years of his life in a home along Lake Ontario. Yes, these aren't the Olympics, or even a world "My grandfather (the late Bert Oldershaw, championship that features the best-of-thea three-time Olympic paddler) would have best from across the globe. loved this," Mark said. But the Games are coming, and it seems the During pre-relay orientation conducted best course of action for all of us is to make the by our (very) enthusiastic volunteer leader, a most of it. laidback but obviously passionate Oldershaw For some of our homegrown athletes, this is knew all the answers to her Pan Am trivia the biggest international competition of their questions. What the name of the mascot was lives, a building block on their way to compet(PACHI), what animal he was (porcupine), ing in the Olympics. There are world champiwhere he was "born" (the Niagara Escarpment onships every year, but the chance to compete just west of Toronto) and what his 41 quills in multi-event games only comes around so represent (each of the 41 Pan American counoften. tries participating in the Games). For others who have already competed in So while Friday's relay itself didn't necessarthe Olympics, this is a rare opportunity to ily feature boisterous throngs lining the streets show their skills in front of family and friends. of Burlington (my audience consisted of my For us, it's a chance to see them. wife and children, mother- and father-in-law, I remember interviewing Kyle Jones a dozseveral co-workers and a few beer league en years ago in the backyard of his Oakville hockey buddies), it was nice to see Oldershaw home, after he won the Canadian junior triathlon championship. I still recall my rst en- Oakville Beaver Sports Editor Jon Kuiperij carried the torch during the Pan Am Torch Relay Friday as it wove its way through receive a hero's welcome into Spencer Smith Burlington. Kuiperij carried it from Caroline to Locust streets just ahead of the ame arriving at Spencer Smith Park for Park. counter with a young Adam van Koeverden, festivities. After a followup stint to the west, the relay made its way back to Milton and Oakville Tuesday. And if you're still grumbling about the inwhen the future Olympic champion and his conveniences you might have to deal with for father Joe visited our former Oakville Beaver | photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) a few weeks during the Pan Am Games, hear of ce on Speers Road seeking publicity to genthe words of a 1922-born Second World War erate some sponsors. veteran who was asked if he was nervous beI've typed the names of Tera Van Beilen, members of the national swimming team. volleyball team veteran who somehow knew Zack Chetrat and Evan White into Oakville One of my brother-in-law's long-time buddies the right words to settle me down after I was in- fore participating in Friday's torch relay. "I have been through worse." Aquatic Club reports, long before they became is 39-year-old Dan Lewis, the Canadian men's volved in a car accident six years ago. NEIL OLIVER Vice ­President and Group Publisher DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Halton Region Editor in Chief Volume 53 | Number 50 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington (905) 845-3824 Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Editorial Department (905) 845-3824 Advertising Department (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising (905) 632-4444 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 DANIEL BAIRD Director of Advertising ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor