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Sunday, 27 December, 2009 7:22 PM

Olympic torch makes a stop in Windsor on route to Vancouver

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

Gale Fanelli carries the Olympic torch along Riverside Drive in Windsor, Ont. on Dec. 23, 2009.

WINDSOR, Ont. -- A big celebration was held at the Riverfront Plaza in honor of the Olympic torch, which stopped in Windsor on Dec. 23. The torch, which is also known as the cauldron, is going on a relay across Canada and it will eventually stop in Vancouver, just in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics in February. About 10,000 people from southwestern Ontario and metro Detroit attended the celebration in Windsor. There was a big concert, food and lots of activities for the entire family.

The Olympic torch is on a 106-day, 45,000 kilometer journey around Canada. A total of 12,000 Canadian residents will carry the torch along the route. It arrived in the Windsor area at approximately 5:45 p.m. Riverside Drive was shut down for the torch to pass by. People lined both sides of the street and completely filled the riverfront plaza.

"It's exciting, once-in-a-lifetime event," said Janet Moore of Windsor, Ont., who saw the torch a week earlier in another city. "We saw them light one to another and that was really nice. Most towns and cities no matter how big or how small they are really trying to do a good job to promote it in their communities."

People who were interested to carry the Olympic torch were required to enter their name into a lottery. About three million people requested to carry the torch and nearly 6,000 were selected to have the exclusive opportunity.

"I ran earlier today, small town, southern Ontario," said Gary Glass, a torchbearer from Kingsville, Ont. "We had a really great turnout. There was 10 relay members in the town. We had somebody even do it on a horse. It was very exciting. I watched it in '88 and it came through Calgary. It was very impressive. I thought, if I ever get the chance I'm going to try and do it."

There was lots of activities for everyone to enjoy at the celebration in Windsor. There was an ice maze, skiing video game, a photo opportunity to hold up a replica of the olympic torch and much more. Coca-Cola passed out free plastic bottles that lit up and changed colors. There was free ice skating at Charles Clark Square, which continues all winter long.

"It's great for the Windsor/metro Detroit area," said Eric Mann of Huntington Woods, Mich. "I'm not going to be able to make it out to Vancouver so it's a little touch. I love the Olympics. I brought my wife she's out taking some pictures. Being from Detroit, having our Red Wings mainly not from the U.S., it's hard to see who to root for. It's cool to see some NHL players playing against each other when they normally don't play against each other."

The torch left Windsor the next morning and was later carried to Tecumseh, Ont. It will eventually end up in Vancouver for the start to the Winter Olympics on Feb. 12, 2010.

Click here for more information on the olympic torch relay.

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

Thousands of people came out to see the Olympic torch celebration at Riverfront Plaza in Windsor, Ont.

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

Interview with 15-year-old torchbearer Matthew Charbonneau. His older brother, Corporal Andrew Gregnon, was killed in Afghanistan last September.

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com