Stuart Davis, PNG, Vancouver Sun
Fans wanting to thank Roberto Luongo for his performance during the gold-medal Olympic hockey game will get their chance Thursday when the Canucks captain lights a celebration cauldron at Robson Square.
The cauldron lighting is part of a round of celebrations to kick off the Paralympic Winter Games, taking place March 12-21.
“The attention of the Paralympic movement, we’ve seen it across the country and it’s outstanding,” said Suzanne Reeves, director of torch relays communications for Vanoc. “We’re in for another great party.”
The flame arrives in Vancouver today and will be greeted with a celebration at Riley Park between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
The free, fully accessible street party-style event will include face-painting, circus arts performers, children’s crafts and a performance by local reggae group the Lazare Halk Band, filling Ontario Street between 30th and 33rd avenues.
Twenty-two torchbearers will run around Riley Park field in a 400-metre loop with two exchange points.
The relay continues Thursday at the University of B.C. from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., where 22 torchbearers will run a 1.1-kilometre route along campus pedestrian areas.
Performers include Ache Brasil Capoeira, UBC Acapella Club and the UBC Dance Team.
At 2 p.m., the torch will begin a 24-hour relay around Vancouver’s downtown core while festivities continue along Robson Street, with several stage celebrations at Robson Square.
Highlights include Luongo lighting the celebration cauldron at 6:05 p.m. and former Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan speaking at 8:26 p.m.
Toward the end of the 24-hour relay, the torch will continue on a “linear relay” into the Burrard Inlet, on an adaptive row boat, a Sea King helicopter and several Canadian naval vessels before heading back on land at 1:45 p.m.
The opening ceremony begins at 6 p.m. on Friday.
More than 500 athletes from more than 40 countries are expected to participate in the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, competing in sports including ice sledge hockey, wheelchair curling and alpine skiing, biathlon and cross-country skiing for the sitting, standing and visually impaired.
This will be the first time Canada has hosted a Paralympic torch relay. It will comprise more than 600 torchbearers in all, and a distinct aboriginal lighting ceremony will preface each celebration.
Paralympic torch relay gear was unveiled during a media conference at Vancouver City Hall on Tuesday.
The track suit is predominantly dark blue, with minimal green and white accents and “Vancouver 2010 Paralympic torch relay” written on the back.
It is also emblazoned with the Paralympic symbol, composed of three asymmetrical crescents called Agitos.
The Agitos also replace the Olympic rings on the back of the Paralympic red mittens.
The Paralympic torch shares the same sleek Bombardier design as the Olympic torch but is slate blue instead of white.
awoo@vancouversun.com
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