One year to go, Hamilton pitching party atmosphere for Pan Am games

The Pan Am Games are a year away – 388 days to be exact – and the city kicked off the one-year countdown Tuesday with an event that tried to push a multicultural “party” vibe for the amateur sporting event.

Hamilton will host 32 soccer games for the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan American Games, which start next July and will be hosted by Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe. But more than just sport, Hamilton wants to celebrate.

Mayor Bob Bratina made sure to emphasize that no one outside the city is going to put on cultural events for Hamilton or do the work of making the Games as festive as possible.

“It’s up to us.” He said. “And I know we can do it.”

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Tuesday’s event at Tourism Hamilton was clearly aimed at “getting the party started,” as Mohawk College Pan Am Games volunteer Suzanna Sanchez put it. There was free food from Mex-i-Can restaurant and Rising Star reggae band played live with Hamilton’s Errol Starr.

It seems to be working, as buzz starts to grow, and is bolstered by the current World Cup craze. 

“It’s going to be one big party in the Hammer,” said Mike Nabuurs, a host on Funny 820am Comedy Radio. 

The city is using World Cup fervour to celebrate the one-year mark. The tournament’s final game will be shown on a giant screen at Pier 8 on July 13, almost exactly one year to the date before the start of the Games. 

And Hamilton is still looking for volunteers, with a focus on the diverse communities of Hamilton. Of the 1,500 volunteers needed, about 1,200 have signed up.

“We need Spanish speakers and French speakers, specifically,” vice president of volunteer services Darryl McKenzie told CBC News. Those interested can find information on the TO2015 website. 

The 22,500-seat Tim Hortons stadium will be the venue for the Games and is supposed to be nearly finished by the Ticats’ home opener this summer on July 26.

“Soccer is a growing sport in Canada. We are going to see more and more soccer in this country,” said Lydia Vamos, a former player for the Canadian Women’s National team. “And there’s nothing better than playing at home.”

Bratina bragged about the new facility, which will be the future home of the Tiger-Cats.

“For $45 million we got a $145 million stadium,” he said. “Taxpayers didn’t have to pay for it.”

The Games' official countdown clock was unveiled in Toronto's Nathan Phillips Square June 5.