Torch coming to base
Mary Ellen Green
Staff writer
Before the Olympic flame is passed from torch to torch on Canadian soil, it was lit in a traditional ceremony in front of the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece, using the power of the sun in a parabolic mirror.
For the first time in Winter Olympic Games history, these cultural events took place on the historic grounds of Olympia's Ancient Stadium - the site of the first Olympic Games.
The Flame then started on a week-long Grecian Relay, passing through 37 communities along the way.
The relay started Oct. 22 and will conclude at Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens, Greece, on Oct. 29. Torchbearers selected by the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) will wear the Vancouver 2010 Olympic torchbearer uniform and carry the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch during the relay.
Last week, a Canadian Forces A310 Airbus from 437 Transportation Squadron in Trenton took Renata Wielgosz, Canada's Ambassador to Greece; Gary Lunn, Minister of State; Gordon Campbell, Premier of British Columbia; Gregor Robertson, Mayor of Vancouver; and John Furlong, VANOC Chief Exective Officer, to Greece to bring the Olympic Flame to Victoria, where it will start the first of of 106 days of Olympic Torch Relay.
CFB Esquimalt has the honour of being the first Canadian Forces base to host the Olympic Flame on Day 1.
Day 1 activities
The CF A310 will touch down at Victoria International Airport before taxiing to 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron for a media event.
Fifty CF members from Canadian Forces Fleet School Esquimalt will be on site to line the route from the aircraft to the awaiting vehicles that will take the flame to the Inner Harbour, arriving at 9:30 am.
Army, Navy, and Air Cadets will line the route from the Inner Harbour to the legislature lawns where a community celebration will occur.
The Naden Band will play the Olympic Anthem and the National Anthem with Capt(N) Martin Teft accompanying on vocals.
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Walter Natynczyk will also be at the legislature for the ceremony.
The torch relay will commence at 10:40 a.m. with the first official Olympic Torchbearer departing the legislature towards the Township of Esquimalt, at which time CF-18s will do a fly-past.
While the Flame is in transit through Esquimalt, a Blue Boat will ferry the Naden Band from the Inner Harbour back to Naden, where they'll perform again at the local celebration.
The CDS will sail back to the base via speed boat where he'll be involved in the relay.
Members of the defence team are invited to be spectators for the portion of the relay through CFB Esquimalt. Spectators are encouraged to rendezvous at the Naden Athletic Centre at 10:45 a.m.
Base Imaging has prepared a video of defence team members at work that will be projected larger-than-life on the main gym wall. At 11:15 a.m. everyone will be encouraged to go outside and pick a spot along the relay route from the main gate to the old Naden Gate. Spectators are encouraged to line both sides of the road. Canadian Flags will be handed out in the gym for audience members to wave along the route.
The Flame will arrive at the main gate at 11:30 a.m. at which time the relay begins on base with Retired BGen Joseph Gollner. He will light his torch and run 300 metres up Naden Way to Ontario Drive where he will stop at a dais. RAdm Tyrone Pile, Commader Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Games, will then say a few words. BGen Gollner will light the torch of Gen Natynczyk and he will take off running towards Nelles Block where he will light the torch of LCdr Lucie Tremblay, Naval Provost Marshal.
LCdr Tremblay will then carry the flame to the old Naden Gate on Beard Street and the relay will continue towards View Royal. The event will be over by 11:45 a.m., at which time everyone is invited to muster in the Naden Athletic Centre parking lot for a free barbecue lunch. The gym will be open for people to go inside and eat, should the weather be poor.
The whole event will be wrapped up by 1 p.m.
Day 1 of the largest domestic Olympic Torch Relay in history will mark an extraordinary day for CFB Esquimalt. This is the only naval base in Canada to be part of this event. It is also the first of 14 Canadian Forces Bases that will host the Olympic Torch Relay over 106 days.
Day 1 celebrations will also be held in View Royal, Songhees, Sidney, North Saanich, Central Saanich, Oak Bay and Victoria.
An evening event will be held at the legislature commencing at 5:30 p.m. The celebration will kick off with a musical welcome with the all-star line-up including Daniel Lapp, Marc Atkinson, Kia Kadiri, Hugh Fraser, Ken Lavigne, Adonis Puentes, Phil Dwyer, Carey Newman and Sara Marreiros, Dave Flello, Jules Charles, members of the Victoria Symphony, the Joy of Life and the B.C. Fiddle Orchestra, as well as hundreds of First Nations Drummers and Les Cornouillers dancers.
The last torch bearer of the day, 15-year-old Jeneece Edroff will have the honour of re-lighting the Olympic cauldron. For more information about the evening ceremony, visit www.victoriaspirit.ca.
The flame will remain on Vancouver Island until Day 5 of the relay. It will visit 19 Wing Comox on Day 4, where a team of Canadian Forces members will get to carry the torch.
