Centennial Park Pan Am BMX Centre Ribbon Cutting and Demo Provides Glimpse into High-Intensity BMX Competition

TORONTO 2015 Pan Am BMX competition will have fans on the edge of their seats this summer

TORONTO, June 12, 2015 /CNW/ - The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015) and its partners, the Government of Canada, Province of Ontario and City of Toronto, came together today to celebrate the opening of the world-class Centennial Park Pan Am BMX Centre, home to one of this summer's most highly anticipated competitions.

Following the ribbon cutting, Tory Nyhaug and Amelia Walsh, athletes from the Canadian national BMX team who will be competing next month at the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games, gave a demonstration on the new track, providing a glimpse into what fans can expect to see in this summer's Pan Am BMX competition.

The newly constructed 3.2-hectare park, which was jointly funded by the Government of Canada and City of Toronto, is the province's first-ever BMX supercross track. The park's eight-metre start ramp will launch riders onto the closed-loop-design track filled with challenging jumps, tight bends, berms and obstacles that will test the 22 male and 15 female riders competing in this summer's cycling – BMX competition.

Due to high demand, there are currently no tickets available for this high-speed, rough-and-tumble fan favourite. Some of the biggest names in the sport are expected to make their way to Toronto to compete this July, including Colombia's Mariana Pajón, Olympic gold medallist in London in 2012 and the United States' Connor Fields, Pan Am gold medallist in Guadalajara in 2011. Canada's Tory Nyhaug, who finished second at the 2014 UCI BMX World Championships last July, will also be competing and is expected to be a top medal contender in this summer's matchup.

"The Centennial Park Pan Am BMX Centre is a part of the TORONTO 2015 Games legacy. The Centre has already received rave reviews from athletes and will bring a whole wave of new ones to Ontario after the Games have finished," said Saäd Rafi, chief executive officer, TO2015. "There are so many exciting moments bringing these Games to life. With less than a month to go until Games time, momentum is building and tickets to popular events, like BMX, are selling out."

Buying tickets to the Games

Tickets are available at TORONTO2015.org/tickets. The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games ticket program is designed to be affordable and accessible for everyone by offering:

Integrated tickets: Every event ticket will allow the holder to access transit on the day of the event.

Affordable pricing: Tickets start at just $20, with 75 per cent of tickets priced $45 and under.

Half-price tickets for persons under 16 years of age, or 65 and over: Tickets will be offered at a 50 per cent discount — some will start at $10. The number of discounted tickets is limited, so buy early.

Tickets for Parapan Am sporting events will range from $20 to $35 for adults, with a youth (under 16) and senior (65+) discount from $10 to $12.50 available, depending on the event. The number of discounted tickets is limited, so don't delay.

Easy options for buying: Tickets can be purchased online at TORONTO2015.org/tickets or at 1.855.726.2015 and internationally at 1.949.333.4824.

About TO2015
The TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games will take place July 10–26 and the Parapan American Games August 7–15. The TORONTO 2015 Games are funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, as well as Lead Partner CIBC and other partners and sponsors.

The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015) is tasked with managing and delivering the Games. It is working to bring some of the world's best athletes and artists to Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe region, giving Ontarians a unique chance to be part of the action, and making the region a hub for sport.

For more information about the Games, please visit TORONTO2015.org or follow @TO2015, @TO2015_fr (French) or @TO2015_es (Spanish).

Quotes Page

The Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport):

"Congratulations to everyone involved in the design and construction of this amazing BMX course. As we continue to celebrate the Year of Sport in Canada, our Government is proud of the investment we've made in this and other sport facilities, as they will serve as a lasting legacy of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games. This venue will be used for years to come not only by elite athletes, but also by the residents of this wonderful city."

The Honourable Michael Coteau, Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games:

"With the TO2015 Games still a month away, the new Centennial Park Pan Am BMX Centre is already important win for our athletes, our economy and our community. High-performance athletes will train and compete here, tourists will come to witness the competition first hand and the local community will have access to a world-class sport facility right in their own backyard. Our government led the bid to pursue these Games because we wanted to build a lasting legacy for all Ontarians and I'm proud that we're on track to deliver on that goal with the opening of new facilities like the Centennial Park Pan Am BMX Centre."

John Tolkamp, President of Cycling Canada:

"Cycling Canada is thrilled with the new BMX Supercross Track at Centennial Park which will become a leading training and competition facility for the sport after the Pan Am Games;" said John Tolkamp, President of Cycling Canada.  "In addition to exciting events such as the two Canada Cups that will take place this weekend, the track will be a great community resource for those that want to take up the sport and those that wish to excel at it.  We look forward to a world class competitive field for the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games and are appreciative of the support of the Government of Canada and the City of Toronto in the development of this facility."

SOURCE Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games

For further information: Teddy Katz, Director, media relations and chief spokesperson, TO2015, 416.957.2117, teddy.katz@toronto2015.org