The Pan American Games come to Ontario

The Pan American Games are seen by some (athletes and bureaucrats) as a stepping stone to the really important event, the Olympics.  By others it is seen as bush league or a burden on tax payers.

My viewpoint is that it is an opportunity to showcase your talent.  That is true for both athletes, bureaucrats and taxpayers.  Those who love sports and those who love international pageantry should see it as a feast, maybe not as exciting as the Olympics, but a lot closer and competitive within its limitations.

The Olympics fascinated me as a young boy and although it sometimes seems too commercial it never fails to get my attention.  I lived the excitement through newspapers and television and lately the inter net, but only have a very slight personal connection.  The Pan Am Games intruded into my personal life and that of my neighbours and fellow Canadian citizens and taxpayers.  We started off unimpressed and a bit jaded, but now that they are over maybe we missed too much of a good thing.

As with almost everything else the sports world is increasingly globalized.  At the same time the grassroots has never lost its importance.  While us armchair quarterbacks pontificate on the merits or lack of them for athletes and sports events it all starts beneath our radar.

Toronto stymied at Olympic bids obtained the rights to the 2015 Pan American Games.  One smart thing was to spread the events around Ontario.  They got several municipalities invested in the idea and spread out potential traffic problems.  My home town, Hamilton was given a chance to hold both the soccer games and the indoor cycling and at another time they had a shot at track and field.  Not everyone on council or in the bureaucracy saw this as an opportunity and we ended up just getting the soccer, the second most popular sport.

Along the way I heard complaints about the stadium being behind schedule, from someone on site.  The Go Station was supposed to be ready to help expedite ticket buyers from out of town to the game, but every day I either drove or walked past it and could see little progress.  Lots of complaints about how unimportant it was or others about how poorly we were handling it.

For prior years there had been a big controversy over our Hamilton Ti-Cat football facilities, known as Ivor Wynne Stadium, named for one one of the founders of the British Empire Games.  It was recognized as no longer up to standards.  The owners wanted to move it to a location where they could charge for parking, but a lot of citizens myself included wanted it located near the harbour where it would be more central and accessible (for instance in walking distance of the proposed new GO station.)  With the Pan Am Games money was found to upgrade the stadium and it was decided to keep the same location in a residential neighbourhood with poor parking.  It was behind schedule and failed to open in time for the football schedule, but they did try it for a concert and later for a friendly women's soccer game prior to the Women's World Cup.

It became evident that a lot of the best athletes were not going to come.  It turns out that for many it is necessary to qualify for the Olympics through a different procedure, although some events were qualifying.  When the Olympics opened up for professional athletes someone somewhere seemed to decide that regional events like the Pan American Games would be more for development.  Just a few weeks before the Canadian women organized our best women (many playing professionally) and they gave a good account of themselves but for the Pan American Games almost all the players were under 22.  Different countries handled the rosters differently.

Finally the Games were set to begin.  The Open Ceremonies were first class with Cirque de Soleil organizers involved.  Lots of fireworks (around the CN Tower) and celebrities.  Steve Nash, one of my heroes lit the flame and Bobby Orr was introduced at one point.

I was able to buy tickets for a women's soccer game with my son visiting from New Zealand.  It was a double header with Ecuador vs Brazil first followed by Canada vs. Costa Rica.  In the first game underdog Ecuador scored first with what I recall as the best goal in the Pan Am, but easily wiped out by 5 goals from one Brazilian player.  Although the crowd was far from full they supported Canada, but unfortunately Costa Rica won 2-0 in what was a satisfying display for me.  Costa Rica had been one of my favourites in the men's World Cup as they upset much higher ranked teams.  We were able to walk about three blocks from home, pick up a bus for free (included in ticket price) and walk about two blocks to the game.   I hadn't been to the old Ivor Wynne Stadium in many years, but the new originally called Tim Horton's Field , but for the Pan Am relabelled CIBC Stadium was much improved and I was unable to detect any serious flaws.

The rest of the actual Pan-Am games for me was on tv and increasingly on the inter-net where you would get more live action.  Many highlights were enjoyed.  The women's basketball with Kia Nurse from Hamilton, an instrumental force in Canada winning the gold medal against favoured Americans.  Kia was chosen to be the flag bearer at the Closing ceremonies. The men's basketball was also exciting and I was impressed not only with Canada, but also, Brazil who won the gold medal, and also, Argentina, and little Dominican Republic.  Perhaps the top players might have made a difference, but competitive all the same.

I watched a little baseball, but missed the best part.  In the gold medal game the score was tied at the end of 9 innings and I started to watch extra innings.  An unusual (but sensible) rule was that in extra innings each team starts out with men on first and second and can tinker with the batting order.   The Americans scored two runs in their half and I decided I needed to get to bed, but taking advantage of an error Canada won.  Baseball had been eliminated from the Olympics, but seems likely to be reinstated for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Track got a lot of my attention with Canadians successful in the decathlon, high jump and sprints.  One of the special moments for me was when Damian Warner set a new Pan Am record and the higher Canadian record in the decathlon with the previous record holder, Michael Smith in the announcer booth.  Mike was more than gracious, praising Damian and suggesting he will break more records in the future.   To me the most exciting track events are the relays, especially the 4 x 400.  They were all enjoyable, but unfortunately De Grace missed his chance for a third gold medal when afterwards the Canadians were disqualified.

Equestrian sports got my attention.  The team event was a qualifier for the Olympics and with a little luck they came through in fine style.  Jessica Phoenix won a silver medal in individual eventing.  I remember her from some photo ops at the Royal Winter Fair where she was uncommonly gracious.

There was a wide range of events, some of which are not Olympic events such as bowling and water skiing, but I only saw snippets of them.  I found myself watching a fair amount of soccer and volleyball, but missed some of my normal preferences of swimming and gymnastics.

I didn't see the closing ceremonies as I opted to go to a fireworks/music display near where I live.   There was a little bit of controversy with the choice of for main entertainment.  Although popular people objected to an American, Kanye West getting the spotlight.  I remember for the Atlanta Olympics the organizers had to explain why Celine Dionne was given prime spot at their closings and they just said they wanted the best.  When I think of Pan America I think of Latin music with Brazilian amongst my favourite entertainment.  Nothing against Kanye, if the organizers thought he was the best and most appropriate one available, but my tastes are different.  A preliminary singer was Serena Ryder who had sung theme song which I liked more than enough to buy the iTune version and went on to buy the French and Spanish recordings.  One of the writers of the song was Jasmine Denham and she sang the French version.  This was the 400th anniversary of francophones in Ontario.

The city of Hamilton decided to have a free concert with a special fireworks display.  I got a little late and just saw the tail end of the Turbo Street Funk Band which seemed like a fun group.  Terra Lightfoot, who I had never heard before was given a chance to perform with the National Academy Orchestra under the direction of Boris Brott--turned out to be very enjoyable.  The Fireworks were done by Circus Orange.

Was the fuss worth it?  I would say it deserved more fuss and that many missed an opportunity.  Why do we like sports?  Perhaps some like skill, strength, speed, but more likely competitiveness.  There was plenty of skill and certainly competitiveness.  Maybe we didn't see the very best, but we did see some excellent and developing athletes.

To me such events are more than just sports as there is the international element.  As hockey fanatics have a tendency to appreciate the nations that are competitive in that sport.  Not too many hockey players in the Caribbean or Central and South America, but they do produce a lot of top notch soccer, basketball, baseball players and sprinters.

A major concern with the organizers was traffic.  Traffic congestion would leave a bad impression on visitors as well as taxpayers.  One solution was called a HOV lane which normally requires only one passenger to allow a car to use the fast lane.  For the Pan Am Games two passengers were required.  Taking our son to the airport we were able to use the HOV lane which greatly speeded up the process but coming back with only the two of us it was noticeably slower.  Still provincial authorities were pleased with the results and may adopt it as a long term solution.  The Go Station did open in time and combined with shuttle buses made it easy for out of town visitors to get to the games and back home or hotel quickly.
 
A lot of local Hamilton merchants not too happy about how the GO service worked as people found little near the stadium to interest them and speeded out of town without spending much money (outside the stadium of course).  If we ever get another chance (say for the Grey Cup) we should try to remedy this oversight so that more local businesses could benefit and visitors could have a more enjoyable experience.  I understand hotels did benefit from officials and soccer teams staying in Hamilton

For me I like to experience foreign cultures and felt compelled to visit a local restaurant which has become a favourite, Culantro Peruvian Cookery.  We took our son on his last night and the owner/chef came to thank us.

A lot of money has been spent and now that two weeks of enjoyment are over what is left?  A few Olympic calibre buildings, an Athlete's Village that will open for residents, perhaps new traffic system that will improve the environment.  Did you get a chance to appreciate a little bit about our neighbours to the south?  We will be working with them more in the future and hopefully enjoying new relationships and new arts.

In Hamilton we did get an improved stadium and perhaps we learned a few things that will be useful when other opportunities come our way.  Bringing a GO station a little sooner will in the long run have a positive effect on the whole line.   Did we elevate anyone's opinion of Hamilton or Ontario?  Remember we had the opportunity to reach out to not only Ontario and Canada, but all of the Caribbean, Central and South America.  We shouldn't forget American visitors many of whom would find it easy to re-visit.  How good did we do?

I hope one way or another I can get a taste of Parapan Games that start in another week or so.   Way back in 1976 when the Olympics were held in Montreal I was involved in writing a book on basketball and although I was not able to make it to Montreal the Paralympics were held in Etobicoke and I made a few trips to better understand wheelchair basketball.  What I most remember was Arnie Boldt winning a gold medal and setting a world's record in a light rain.  it was astonishing to me and my wife what a one legged man could do.  I also remember one of the dominant wheelchair basketball teams came from Israel where it was explained they take very good care of their war veterans who suffered in military action.  The other brief connection I had with the Olympics was with the Olympic basketball qualifying tournament in Hamilton where I saw many games using a press pass.

PHOTOS:  Women's soccer action between Canada and Costa Rica
Terra Lightfoot with the National Academy Orchestra
Michael Davidson, Juan Castillo, the owner/chef of Culantro Peruvian Cookery and Heather Davidson

HAMILTON'S FIFTH SUPERCRAWL

My story is not meant to be comprehensive as it is only one of over 100,000 versions.  As the Supercrawl has evolved it has built on its own success and grown each year.  It is now drawing people not only from Hamilton, but Toronto and Buffalo and parts in between and beyond.

This year there were four main stages plus lots of vendors, galleries, buskers, causes.  New restaurants have opened and older restaurants have renovated.  More than a dozen food trucks added to the variety of food available.  All this meant no one could see, hear, or eat everything and choices had to be made.

This first photo is of Lester Coloma adding a few touches to his mural.  He has done a number of murals around Ontario and beyond.  I thought this one could easily be the logo for the Supercrawl.  I have shown a number of his murals in previous blogs.

Friday night  on my way home to get rested for the next day, saw a French Canadian group  and decided to stay and watch  Les Trois Accords, from Drummondville.  I had already forgone an early bedtime and decided  to check their website when I did get home. Language can open doors.  Their music did have a lot of melody, but I understand the words were too clever for a unilingual audience. Fortunately they were able to draw a few francophones as well as some appreciative anglophones.

Saturday morning on our weekly trip to the Farmer's Market and the library we watched as the street was set up and we could appreciate it would be bigger than ever.  More areas were cordoned off for more vendors and entertainment.

At the booth for the Hemophiliac Society I bought a Polish sausage which was the best value of the day and for a good cause.

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One of the first shows I saw on Saturday was Hachey Mouthpeace with the Brass Ensemble of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.  I was unprepared for the noises coming from Hachey which amounted to a percussion section.   You always think of classical musicians as being pretty serious, but this was very much a fun blend for everyone.



At the CasiNO booth  we signed a petition and pinned on buttons. The merchants that support Supercrawl feel a downtown casino would threaten their livelihoods.  Having lived in the North End for over 30 years I have been very pleased how the street has gradually improved and is now attracting people looking for art, for music, for restaurants and more.  Hamilton, especially the downtown and north end, after years of neglect is coming into its own.  A casino would have to compete against other casinos in more touristy towns and would want to eliminate the competition provided by Flamboro Downs.  I have a vested interest in the track, but anyone can appreciate that Flamboro Downs already contributes a lot of revenue directly to Hamilton plus a lot of jobs in agriculture. Putting them out of business like the Ontario government has done to tracks in Sarnia and Windsor in exchange for a casino is a foolish gamble with essentially no new benefits.

I listen to Mary Ito  Saturday and Sunday mornings on Fresh Air before I get out of bed.  Lots of things follow from that.  This Saturday she mentioned she would be at the Supercrawl introducing some music from Said the Whale.

A little later I did make it over to get my photo of Mary with Bruce Croxen and stayed to watch Said the Whale.  They attracted a big crowd and played to the audience.  I was fortunate to win a T shirt thrown into the crowd.

Time to eat and we made it to Culantro, the new Peruvian restaurant that I had heard about from my daughter Heather and read a number of favorable reviews.  It was just far enough off James Street that not too many out-of-towners had discovered it.  Nonetheless it soon packed up.  We had a fairly quick meal, bearing in mind that their menu needs time to properly prepare.  We learned that the cook/owner is a neighbour who lives on the same street about two blocks away from us.  We also met an old friend from the Farmers Market who has relocated, just in time to stock up on both his tea and soap.

With over 100,000 visitors keeping things under control can be difficult.  The police were in various formats.  On foot, on bicycles and on horse back.  For the most part they were part of the crowd, helping people find what they were looking for, but were reassuring.  No problems to report.





The next big attraction for us was Orange Circus that we had seen last year.  Word had gotten out, but we arrived an hour ahead of time and got a fairly good spot to stand and there discovered a co-worker of Sharon's from St Catharines who had brought his wife, brother and sister in law.  Then we met our neighbour from two doors away. Orange Circus had expanded from last year adding in trampolines, a bagpiper and various actors with their trademark fire background.  The fire came sudden and really added something to the show.

After that show we decided to wait in line for Mex-i-Can, a favorite after many visits.  Like most of the other restaurants on James Street they really packed them in.  I would like to have visited more restaurants, but my stomach can only handle so much and the lineups were long at all of them including several food trucks.

We decided to watch the headliner, Passion Pit the group that helped attract the big crowd and the last act of Supercrawl.  Pretty difficult to get very close.  They filled up the street for about two blocks, plus a side street, plus some on rooftops.  Their fans were very happy.


Hopefully next year the organizers will build on their well earned success.  To really enjoy it you have to plan ahead and then be prepared to be spontaneous.   There is more than big name acts. Although some acts are well established and attracted their own fans, there were lots of lesser known acts on stage to reach a new audience. There are also buskers that are often very enjoyable such as cellist Geoff Ball and harpist Rachel Nolan pictured below.

This year a hidden traffic problem was a bridge being replaced on Bay Street that runs parallel to James.  After the bridge is completed for next year it might open up some more possibilities, at least for traffic flow.  This year the Supercrawl expanded by putting a stage at Pier 8 which is on Hamilton Harbour in a beautiful setting.  Unfortunately I didn't make it because it was too far away and I had to choose between events.  There is a big gap between Barton Street and Pier 8.  The organizers did offer a shuttle bus.  In that gap are a few interesting restaurants including the Harbour Diner that had been featured on television, but the area is mostly residential.  Inevitably visitors will have to choose what they most want to see.

A wonderful tiring weekend.  Proud to be part of it.  Do you want to add in your own version?  Next year it will be better than ever.  Hope to see more of you there!

JAMES ST NORTH ART CRAWL IS PROGRESSING

Every second Friday of each month the art crawl is an event I try to take in.  My little story is one of thousands.  There are now new restaurants and new galleries and more musicians than ever.  It is not possible to see everything.  The crowds have been increasing especially when the weather is good as it was for this August night.

A confession.  I took my camera and a few of the shots shown were taken by me at the time, but really a lot of the time I just flowed with the crowd and later went back or dug up photos.  A lot of enjoyment was felt without a camera.

First we decided that the annual trip to the Wild Orchid for their patio Sangria and Mussels deal was overdue.  Good any time during the summer,and very busy during the art crawl.  We thought we arrived early, but the crowds had already started.  Fabulous value.  Just back from New Zealand we appreciated the green lipped mussels and enjoyed some of their Portuguese specialities.

Not too far from there is a marketplace for crafts and I had a bite out of a fruit popsicle from Rudy's.  A tradition has developed in that part of James St where some musicians get together with a jam session and Art Crawl visitors walk between them (or take a moment or two to enjoy).

I mentioned new restaurants popping up and Charred Rotisserie gave everyone a preview as they weren't quite ready to open.   There is a connection with two other restaurants--Jack and Lois and just a few doors away   McCartney and Son, each offering something unique.  They were giving out free samples which I think will give them a quick startup.










More than a year ago I stumbled on two musicians from Ecuador that are part of a group called Tribu.  I was so taken with their music (I have come to love Andean pipe music) that I had gone home and asked my wife if it would be ok to add to my Father's Day presents and went back to buy a CD which I have enjoyed many times since.  They showed up drawing a crowd.

My daughter had recommended a new Peruvian restaurant downtown, but they were only open Monday to Friday during business hours.  I followed them on Facebook and learned they were extending their hours for Art Crawl.  they only have seats for 22, but I was too full for a sit down meal so I ordered one of their empanadas.  While waiting I got talking to the chef, Juan who asked me if this was my first visit and when I admitted it he gave me some small snacks and a drink and explained their uniquesness.  The empanada was great and I hope they extend their hours more often.

Another restaurant back on James Street, Ventura had been renovating and unvielled the results.  They now have windows that open up towards the street.  They have built up a good reputation as a top Portuguese restaurant over several years and now have noticed the Art Crawl and are becoming more involved.


 Across the street while my wife and daughter and friends were checking out another craft store I watched two mobile musicians.  They were carted around by a bicycle and stopped wherever they could find a parking spot, but performing while traveling.

 I did visit a few galleries and craft shops, but went up a few steps to visit Lester Coloma who amongst other things likes to do outdoor murals (one is below).  One of the advantages of participating in the art crawls is that you get to talk to artists who are quite willing to explain their thinking and technique behind the art.  Lester is a good example.  I am looking forward to a mural he has been asked to do for next month's Supercrawl.

I will be featuring Dave Gruggen Photography in my next newsletter and was pleased when he relocated his studio to James St North.  He does aerial photography and has been given a contract to show the progress made on the new stadium replacing Ivor Wynne stadium and you can follow the progress as well.  He always has some impressive large photos of people you might recognize.

Another art show I would like to mention was the last one we visited at the You Me Gallery which happens to be only a few blocks from our home.  They had large photos of families, many from my North End immigrant neighbours depicting family meals.  There was writing on the walls describing their feelings of being part of Hamilton, but also enjoying their different traditions.

The Art Crawl attracts people from all over and I believe gives something for Hamilton and the North End to be proud of.  The crowds must be spending some money and businesses are recognizing this is a good place to put their money.  Each one is unique from previous ones.