Revelstoke celebrates the Torch

Tue Jan 26, Revelstoke –

Mount Revelstoke National Park is the original home of Canada’s oldest ski club, and the only place in Canada where world records in ski-jumping have ever been set. On January 26, Parks Canada and the community of Revelstoke will welcome the Olympic Flame with a celebration of a century of skiing, ski racing, and ski-jumping.

Alan Mason of the Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce spoke about the city’s plans for the Event and he told us that there will be a huge celebration in the downtown area around the Grizzly Plaza, starting between 3:30 and 3:45pm and finishing shortly after 8pm. There will be snow sculpting for elementary school children and interactive kids’ activities, courtesy of Parks Canada and Mt. Revelstoke Parks.

A giant screen will be hung on the side of one of the buildings and continuing films about skiing will be shown.

A local band will entertain the waiting crowd on a stage.

Just before 7pm, school children will light lanterns which they have made, courtesy of the Art Society and line the last 100m of the Olympic Torch route into the plaza. The last runner will enter the plaza at exactly 7pm, to the accompanying music of the high school band. The formal ceremony will begin.

At 8pm, a short fireworks display will bring a spectacular finish to the evening’s celebration. The Olympic Torch will remain overnight in the city.

Next morning, (January 27th) at 7am, the Torch and its entourage will run down to the Railway Museum and enter a Heritage Train, accompanied by the CPR’s CEO. The train will then be on its way to Salmon Arm, with a brief stop at Craigellachie, where the Last Spike was driven into the railway exactly, to the day, 125 years before.