Bugging Citytv!

I was recently at Yonge Dundas Square, just a few minutes before 5pm. As CityTv is now in the neighbourhood, they are constantly doing stories from the square.
On this day, a camera man and Cynthia Mulligan were setting up for another story on Christmas shopping.(james has a story on it)
As no one was around, I went up and told them that I always bug CityTv staff with the same question: "how could they have fired Larysa Harapyn"!!
The camera man had the best reaction, sort of speechless, and said that once they moved, the entire entertainment section was fired! Cynthia had a more subdued reaction, saying "ya, she was really good", but with a tone that maybe she didn't agree. I asked if they knew if she was doing anything new, but they had no info.

Who knows whats going on, but I will continue bugging any CityTv staff I see as to why they canned her!

Along with that, I've now noticed that Larysa may be working on her own web page, which should be great!

The Torch

Again, thanks to Art at GM, here's some more info about the flame itself.

The official flame is kept in a small latern type device, and travels with the torch relay. Its from this that the runners flames are lit.



Here, one of the officials light a small butane torch, to transfer the flame to the runner.



Its then touched to the torch, to light up the torch.



And with that, the runner is ready to go!



At this point, Art's job takes over. He joins into the convoy, for our trip, about 4 vehicles behind, but including police (Peel and Toronto), paramedics, drop off and pick up buses and other sponsor trucks and trailers.



The torch is transfered each 300m, when the torches are touched together to transfer the flame.



He or she then runs their distance, and passes off to the next person.



When a runner has completed his 300m run, he can choose to stay (usually if he lives close by), and is treated like a rock star!



If not, one of the GM vehicles stops to pick up the runner, and once the bus if full, takes them back to a collection point so that they can head home!



And thats my short version of the torch run!

General Motors Canada - Vancouver Torch Run 2010

Today I had an amazing opportunity. Art Lewis, from General Motors, gave both myself and by brother a ride in the Torch Relay Convoy.
GM is the supplier of the vehicles (over 100 vehicles are travelling across Canada with the torch), and Art is in charge of making sure they are all working.
He stops at various dealerships along the route, to service, clean, and repair any damage to the vehicles. (One lost a mirror after being hit by a deer!) Art and his partner, Serge St. Louis (who work two week shifts on and off), and 6 other crew members keep the vehicles on the road.




Art explained that the vehicles were all shipped by rail to Montreal, than by transpor truck to Newfoundland, to begin the trip west.





All the vehicles seem to have personal plates, which was a nice touch, and Vancouver 2010 Olympic graphics.

Here's a few shots from Art's "mobile office", with phones, blackberries and GPS. He needs to keep in contact with everyone to know what needs to be fixed each nite. For instance, he is trying to get a compressor fixed on one of the trucks, which is pretty hard to do on a weekend! Hopefully a company in Hamilton will provide the help he needs!





Art really enjoys the crowds which have showed up to watch the event, and I admit, I'm really suprised at the turn out.





You can also follow Art and Serge on their twitter account.

Vancouver 2010 Torch Relay - Bell Canada

Bell Canada is a sponsor of the Torch Relay, and they held a small event at their Mississauga Campus at Eglinton and Creekbank Rd.

A ski jump was set up, along with trambolines on either side. Past Canadian Olympic participants were on hand showing their stuff.






Tragically, one of the jumpers was impalled on a light standard (ok, just kidding!)




Two of the mascots were also present, Miga and Quatchi