What Toronto can learn from the Olympics

[M II A II R II K]

What Toronto can learn from the Olympics


Feb. 26, 2010

Siri Agrell

Read More: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...o-can-learn-from-the-olympics/article1483438/

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Hey Toronto, want to host a spectacular, smoothly run, controversy-free international sporting event? Time to start planning for the Pan American Games, which we will welcome from July 10 to 26, 2015. Too soon? Not if you want rocking opening ceremonies, a cool 3-D logo and a chance to effectively showcase the city without having to barricade it behind a chain-link fence. If Vancouver has taught us anything, it's that problems can arise even after years of careful prep work.

And so as our West Coast friends prepare to pass the torch, a variety of experts offer advice to Toronto gleaned from the last two weeks of Olympic gaffes and glory.

Opening Ceremonies No one will disagree that k.d. lang's performance at Vancouver's opening ceremonies was one of the highlights of the Olympics, but when it comes to showcasing Canadian talent, Toronto might want to renew the brand a little. “We're not a nation of white Céline Dion crooners,†said Steve Jordan of the Polaris Music Prize. What about Arcade Fire, an internationally revered band that can perform rocking anthems in both official languages? “I don't think it's really their thing,†Mr. Jordan said. “But it could be pretty spectacular.â€

Don't fence me in Symbols are important to international events, and restricting access to obvious tourist traps is not a good idea. A chain-link fence erected around the Olympic cauldron in Vancouver became an early symbol of official mismanagement. A similarly negative visual must be avoided in Toronto, said Mat Wilcox, chief executive officer of Wilcox Group, a Vancouver communications and crisis-management firm. “It completely took them by surprise, which it shouldn't have,†she said. Anticipating protests, VANOC blocked off access to the flame. But the angry crowds failed to materialize, and tourists who arrived at the flame hoping to snap a picture were punished instead. “They didn't think of the tourism value,†said Ms. Wilcox. “It was awful. Even when they fixed it, it wasn't great. They put a gap in the fence and opened a viewing platform, but they didn't do that until the sixth and seventh day of the Games.â€[/QUOTE]

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[Irishmonk]

What we can learn from Winnipeg might be a more appropriate question since they've hosted two Pan-ams already. I don't recall any major screw ups on their part so it can't be that hard.

 

[AGTO]

but they didn't do that until the sixth and seventh day of the Games.â€

Learn to count, they opened the platform on day two.

 

[nfitz]

Perhaps what we should learn is to ban the British media from the city ... the yellow journalism in that country is a disgrace!

 

[Dugmor]

K.D. Lang's performance was horrible. How many people need to cover Hallelujah? Leonard Cohen even told people to please stop covering it because it's so overdone.

Arcade Fire are terrible.

 

[Dugmor]

Another thing I don't understand is when it comes to events like this or showcasing Canada why is there always such a native theme? The opening ceremonies were such an embarrassment and not representative of Canada at all. It gave the impression that we're all superstitious and live in a vast snowy wilderness. I'm not racist but natives make up such a small portion of this country and we don't even get along with them so why celebrate that aspect of our history, exclusively? We're so hung up on affirmative action.

 

[DavidJamesTO]

Perhaps what we should learn is to ban the British media from the city ... the yellow journalism in that country is a disgrace!

For once we'll be holding an athletic event they won't care about--no British athletes unless you count the British Overseas Territories like Bermuda or the Caymans.

And I liked the native theme to the opening ceremonies. The security fence around the cauldron was unfortunate; I wonder if they could have posted an RCMP guard around it instead. Might have been quite eyecatching.

 

[Dugmor]

For once we'll be holding an athletic event they won't care about--no British athletes unless you count the British Overseas Territories like Bermuda or the Caymans.

And I liked the native theme to the opening ceremonies. The security fence around the cauldron was unfortunate; I wonder if they could have posted an RCMP guard around it instead. Might have been quite eyecatching.

But what does that native theme have to do with modern day Canada? They make up such a tiny fraction of this country. It just shows that we have no identity.

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

K.D. Lang's performance was horrible. How many people need to cover Hallelujah? Leonard Cohen even told people to please stop covering it because it's so overdone.

Arcade Fire are terrible.

Hmmm... Gordon Lightfoot for you, then? KD's performance was one of the highlights of the show, IMO. And she sang the song as it's the highlight of her 'Songs of the 49th" disc. And Arcade Fire? Aren't they Montrealais? How' bout Broken Social Scene w/ Feist front and centre? A BNL reunion at the UT - Scarborough pool? Downchild Blues w/ Dan reprising their Massey gig? If you're going to diss the opening ceremonies, could you at least pick on the cheesy Celtic fiddlers or the pop-up bear (neither of which we will see in T.O.,thankfully.)

 

[jn_12]

Just ignore Dugmor.

I think one of the key things to these Olympics was how they managed to turn it into a two week party. People didn't even need tickets to feel like they were a part of the games. Obviously "Olympics" has a bit more cache with people, but if you create the environment and atmosphere that makes people excited, you could have a great event. Hopefully Toronto has learned that you need to do more than just create some venues to have a great event. It needs to be a celebration and it needs to be as inclusive as possible.

 

[AnnetteMeetsJane]

Just ignore Dugmor.

I think one of the key things to these Olympics was how they managed to turn it into a two week party. People didn't even need tickets to feel like they were a part of the games. Obviously "Olympics" has a bit more cache with people, but if you create the environment and atmosphere that makes people excited, you could have a great event. Hopefully Toronto has learned that you need to do more than just create some venues to have a great event. It needs to be a celebration and it needs to be as inclusive as possible.

exactly THAT, right there. Well said!

 

[wyliepoon]

Another thing I don't understand is when it comes to events like this or showcasing Canada why is there always such a native theme? The opening ceremonies were such an embarrassment and not representative of Canada at all. It gave the impression that we're all superstitious and live in a vast snowy wilderness. I'm not racist but natives make up such a small portion of this country and we don't even get along with them so why celebrate that aspect of our history, exclusively? We're so hung up on affirmative action.

I enjoyed the native theme in the opening ceremonies. Since the presence of native culture is much greater on the West Coast (while here in Southern Ontario we seem to have obliterated almost all traces of native culture), I would expect the natives to play a big part of the opening ceremonies there.

On the point of representation in the opening ceremonies, didn't anybody think that the only part of Canada that wasn't represented was Ontario? I was following the commentary that accompanied the "Landscape of a Dream" show... the north was represented in the snowy opening, there was fiddling from the East Coast and Quebec, dance scenes depicting the Prairies, the Rockies, and Vancouver itself. Ontario did not even get a passing mention - that's close to 40% of the national population not represented in a federally-funded show. Maybe the Pan-Am opening ceremony should be an all-Ontario show, and let's see what the rest of Canada will think of it.

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Back to the thread subject. I would really like to see a number of major Toronto streets turned into pedestrian malls during the Pan Ams, like what Vancouver did to Granville Street. Yonge Street is definitely the first one to come to my mind. A zip line over Dundas Square would also be a nice touch.

 

[W. K. Lis]

K.D. Lang's performance was horrible. How many people need to cover Hallelujah? Leonard Cohen even told people to please stop covering it because it's so overdone.

Arcade Fire are terrible.

k.d. lang was one of the highlights of the opening! I have been trying to find a video of the performance online, but unable to find one that does not disappear after a while. The copyright this and that on the olymipics seem to be one of the drawbacks.

 

[TOareaFan]

k.d. lang was one of the highlights of the opening! I have been trying to find a video of the performance online, but unable to find one that does not disappear after a while. The copyright this and that on the olymipics seem to be one of the drawbacks.

Since CTV are promoting their DVD package of the games shamelessly, I suspect you will find the KD performance on that!

 

[nfitz]

K.D. Lang's performance was horrible.

Really, I thought it was a tremendous performance

How many people need to cover Hallelujah? Leonard Cohen even told people to please stop covering it because it's so overdone.

??? Cohen's family said Leonard Cohen turned down the chance to sing at the opening, and instead he was the one who recommended that K.D. Lang perform - http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5inwbfGaOV3n8X_k2au_koevaBV-A

Arcade Fire are terrible.

... oh wait ... this is all supposed to be humourous?