December 28 - Former hotel executive Roger Garland was today unveiled as the chairman of Toronto's 2015 Pan American Games along with the other members of the Board, including Sylvie Bernier (pictured), a former Olympic diving champion.



Garland, who spent 25 years as an officer and director of the Four Seasons luxury hotel chain, will joined by several members of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), including Michael Chambers and Marcel Aubut, who once served as President and chief executive of the former Quebec Nordiques NHL team.

Chambers if the President is the COC and Aubut, the President-elect.

The Board also includes several former Olympians, including Bernier, who won a gold medal in the 3 metre springboard at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and was the Chef de Mission for the Canadian team at last year's Games in Beijing, and business heavyweights like Martha Billes, whose family founded the Canadian Tire store chain, and media executive Tony Gagliano.

With a $1.4 billion (£838 million) budget, plus $1 billion (£600 million) going to build a waterfront village for 8,500 athletes, coaches and officials, the Pan American Games and Parapan American Games will leave the city and its neighbours a lasting legacy in athletic development, Garland claimed.

He said: "Hosting these Games is a unique opportunity to enhance athlete development, sport infrastructure, community resources and so much more.

"Working on this event is a significant privilege and responsibility for me and my board colleagues."

Chambers, who is also a vice-president of the Pan American Sport Organization, said: "We are very pleased with the selections made to the Board, which will be critical in the lead-up to the most important sport event ever held in Ontario.

"The partners' ability to quickly establish a strong Board, will benefit these Games and the legacy they will leave in our communities."

Ontario officials say the board will select a chief executive officer in the coming weeks.

Toronto won its bid to host the Pan Am Games in 2015 in November, a welcome victory after losing two Olympic bids and failing to secure two Commonwealth Games.

Dalton McGuinty, the Premier of Ontario, said: "Ontario is excited about the prospect of hosting the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.

"Our athletes will have friends and family cheering them on.

"The Games will leave a lasting legacy of top-notch sporting facilities.

"And we will build stronger ties with the people of the Americas and the Caribbean."


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November 2009: Toronto awarded 2015 Pan American Games