VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - It's been years in the making and soon it will become a reality as the Paralympic torch is done winding through the streets of downtown Vancouver ahead of the Opening Ceremony.
Roughly 300 torchbearers were needed just to complete the 24-hour relay portion downtown. It took a total of 600 torchbearers and one week to bring the flame from Ottawa to the West Coast. Kyle Jacques wrote an essay as part of his torchbearer application after some of his friends were chosen for the Olympic torch relay. "I talked about how the Paralympics inspired me and made me feel stronger about my disability and stuff...It's a good feeling to me. It makes me believe that I should never give up on things."
Olympic and Paralympic director Jim Richards says it's all been about spreading the stories of the amazing people involved. "For us to be able to share those stories witho the community at large in an essence to demystify disabilities and to show that we're all capable of so much more."
During celebrations at Robson Square Friday, there was a sledge hockey demonstration and Premier Gordon Campbell was on hand to cheer on the final torchbearers. He says he's always impressed by the determination and skill displayed by Paralympic athletes. "If you put someone without a disability on a sledge and get them to go up against our sledge hockey team. The sledge hockey team is going to win. You see that on the slopes, you see that on the rinks, they are phenomenal athletes."
Campbell says he has no idea what to expect tonight at the Opening Ceremony at B.C. Place, but adds based on the Olympic Opening Ceremonies we're bound to be blown away.
CTV says it will be broadcasting the ceremony live on its Vancouver station starting at 6 p.m. -- while the rest of the country will see it on tape delay Saturday at 2 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks goalie and Canadian gold medallist Roberto Luongo sparked a huge Paralympic party Thursday night when he lit the community cauldron as part of the relay.