The highly anticipated Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games (TO2015) won’t kick off until July of 2015 but the Games’ organizers are already urging community members to become a part of the nearly month-long athletic competition.

Students in the Sports Administration, Sport Management and Sport Business Management program welcomed two members of TO2015 to Durham College’s Oshawa campus on March 27 and listened as they enthusiastically described the elements and excitement involved with hosting and co-ordinating an event of this magnitude.

Ian Troop, CEO and Louise Lutgens, senior vice-president, Community and Cultural Affairs, were on-hand to not only describe what the games entail but how they can change the area around them.

“These Games get the whole community engaged,” said Troop. “That’s why they call it the people’s Games’, they’re not as formal and they give fans a chance to meet the athletes.”

Organizers expect 10,000 athletes from 41 countries taking part in 51 sports at more than 40 different venues. Some events will also serve as Olympic qualifiers for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In addition, the event will generate 15,000 jobs as well as thousands of volunteer and internship opportunities – something that caught second-year Sport Management student Brian Stoute’s ear.

“With my graduation happening next year and the Games starting in 2015, it could present the opportunity for future employment with them,” said Stoute. “I think this visit is very important to meet (Troop and Lutgens) and create a network with them.”

“This is going to be a huge event and I would love to be involved in it.” 

The 2015 Pan Am Games will be held from July 10 to 26 while the Parapan Am Games will take place from August 7 to 14. While Toronto, Ontario is the host city, venues for the event stretch as far south as Welland, as far north as Minden Hills and as far east as Oshawa, where they will host boxing events at the General Motors Centre.