VP of PASO: Transportation "Biggest Concern" for Toronto Pan Ams

(ATR) Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) vice president Ivar Sisniega tells Around the Rings the final Pan American Games coordination commission still has a few concerns leading into the games.

The commission visit to Toronto will be this Thursday and Friday, April 30 and May 1.

Sisniega, PASO secretary general Jimena Saldaña, PASO technical committee president Michael Fennell, Bahamas Olympic Committee president Wellington Miller, Dominican Republic Olympic Committee president Luis Mejía, director of sport Marcus Vinicius of the Brazilian Olympic Committee, and Peruvian Olympic Committee president Jose Quiñones make up the seven-member commission.

Newly-elected PASO president Julio Maglione and executive secretary Reynaldo Gonzalez will also attend the visit. Members will meet with head executives in charge of organizing the Games and tour different venues.

"We have a few minor concerns going into the visit. Most construction projects are already finished with a few exceptions ... the greatest concern that will be raised during the visit will be the city’s transportation plan," Ivar Sisniega tells Around the Rings.

"The venues in Toronto are a little farther apart from one another than we are used to from previous games, so there is some concern over participants and spectators being able to travel between events and venues," Sisniega went on to say.

Citizens and transportation officials in Toronto have openly criticized the transportation plan that calls for a 20 percent reduction in traffic by citizens.

The PASO vice president discussed the recent changes to Toronto’s transportation plan, including making new high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes accessible to vehicles with three passengers instead of those with only two.

He says the city has also developed faster transit systems and HOV lanes specifically designed for the Games to help spectators and athletes move around the city more efficiently.

The Ontario transportation strategy can be viewed online here.

The coordination commission will also raise concerns about the delayed completion of Tim Horton’s Field in the city of Hamilton to event organizers. The city continues to question the status of the outstanding construction of the venue slated to host football matches during the games.

The stadium was originally projected to reach completion in June of 2014. In a recent letter from Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger to Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and other Ontario ministers, the mayor says the stadium will reach completion this June under current conditions – a full year behind original projections and only a month before the Games begin.

These delays have resulted in the letter demanding a solidified completion date for the stadium. The city fears that further delays will put the Pan Am Games in jeopardy.

"The Pan Am Games are now at risk. We simply can't accept that embarrassment. We need a firm date from the chair of the (IO) board, and we need some confidence we won't be embarrassed before the world," said Hamilton councilman Lloyd Ferguson.

Ontario Sports Solutions (ONSS) are the contractors responsible for the construction of the stadium. Throughout the process they have cited delays due to weather, subcontractor issues, as well as problems with water leaks.

Although events were hosted in the stadium last year, those were deals agreed upon between ONSS and third parties. The city of Hamilton has already cancelled events in April and May that were scheduled under the assumption the stadium would be complete and the city would own it well before current projections.

Ivar Sisniega says the coordination commission will not visit Tim Horton’s Field during their stay.

"We visited the stadium for a test event a year ago, and it appeared to be fully functional. Although we will not visit the stadium during this visit, we will address the issue of delays with event organizers," says Sisniega.

The stadium has a maximum capacity of 40,000 spectators for special events like the Pan Am Games and does have the required full occupancy permit. Yet there are still issues causing the delay of the stadium being released to the city, including approximately 700 seats with obstructed views due to a mistake during construction where incorrect panels were installed.

ONSS says construction to resolve these issues is currently projected to end May 8, but given the history of delays Hamilton officials are skeptical.

The Pan Am Games begin July 10.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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