Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

The spark that became a flame

50 torchbearers carry Paralympic flame across mountains, through Whistler Village
61636_l

"It was just amazing."

That's how Chelsey Walker described her leg of the Paralympic Torch relay on Monday, where she ran for 300 metres through Whistler Village as hundreds of onlookers cheered her on.

Dressed in a steel blue Paralympic outfit and toque, the executive director of Whistler Adaptive Sports had tears in her eyes after the run. She said carrying the torch brought home the valuable legacy the Paralympics will leave in Whistler.

"I have been filled with emotion the last couple of days thinking about it and thinking about Matt (Hallat) lighting the cauldron," said Walker. "I just couldn't stop beaming the whole time."

Whistler Village was ignited with spirit on Day Six of the Paralympic Torch Relay's journey across Canada.

Hundreds of people packed into Village Square on the sunny but cold afternoon to watch Whistler's 50 torchbearers carry the flame in a heartfelt ceremony, as well as hear speeches from community members and performances by musicians.

The Paralympic celebrations kicked off Monday morning at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre.

Unlike the Olympic flame, which has its ancestral home in Greece, the Paralympic flame is not as steeped in tradition, allowing relay organizers to come up with innovative ways to move the flame from Ottawa to Vancouver. In Whistler, the Lil'wat Nation ignited the flame on Monday in a special ceremony.

From there, the flame travelled through the upper village and then up Blackcomb Mountain on Wizard Chair and Solar Coaster. Torchbearers carried the flame across the Peak 2 Peak Gondola and up to the Peak of Whistler Mountain. Whistler's Phil Chew skied down part of the mountain and the flame was carried the rest of the way down in a lantern on Whistler Gondola.

Just before 3 p.m. the flame arrived back in Whistler Village and an energetic procession of Lil'wat drummers and dancers wearing traditional regalia escorted the lantern to the main stage in Village Square.

"On behalf of my people, welcome," said Chief Leonard Andrew from the Lil'wat Nation, moments before the flame arrived. "This is part of our territory and we want you to enjoy yourselves at the Paralympics like you did at the Olympics."

John Weston, Whistler's Member of Parliament, also spoke to the upbeat crowd.

"This is the first time the Paralympics have come to Canada and it is all about community," he said. "You can see that here today."

Long-time community member Leslie Clarke was on stage holding a torch as the flame was transferred. Her lips formed an "o" when the orange blaze grew instantly in size.

"I was actually very surprised because I had no idea I would be on stage," said Clarke, who was the head coach of Canada's National Para-Alpine team at the 2006 Paralympics in Torino.

"I was told I was running first... but then they separated me from the others and took me backstage. I was watching on the monitor as the flame in the little lantern came up, and then I started to clue in."

Clarke said the emotional moment really carried forward for her what was built during the Olympics. She thinks the bond Whistler has formed over the past month will only make the community stronger.

The final leg of the Whistler relay saw 40 community members and Lower Mainland representatives run the torch along Village Stroll.

The ceremony cumulated just before dusk when para-alpine ski team member Matt Hallat lit the cauldron on the Village Square stage amid cheers from the crowd.

Squamish was equally emotional when the torch relay passed through on Sunday.

Even though the weather was rainy and grey, hundreds of people came to watch the 28 torchbearers.

Mel Camili, from South Surrey, was one of the representatives chosen by Coca Cola. Camili had both his legs amputated following a logging accident 20 years ago. He now works for WorkSafeBC, where he speaks to young workers about the importance of workplace health and safety.

"I think the biggest thing I got out of it wasn't so much anything to do with me," said Camili about his time carrying the torch.

"It was that I got the feeling I was part of something absolutely huge. Just for those few minutes, I was part of the bigger Canadian national pride as I was wheeling down the street."

From Whistler, the Paralympic torch traveled north to Lytton and Hope on Tuesday, before journeying to Vancouver for the final leg. The Vancouver cauldron will be lit during the Paralympic opening ceremonies on Friday, March 12 at B.C. Place.

During the Paralympics, over 1,100 athletes and team officials will be in Whistler to participate in the alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and biathlon events between March 12 and 21. Ice sledge hockey and wheelchair curling will take place in Vancouver.

The athletes come from 44 countries and started arriving in Whistler on March 6.

Sixty-two of the 64 Paralympic medals will be awarded in Whistler's Medal Plaza. Admission is free and gates will open at 5:30 each evening. Entry is limited to 5,000.

The closing ceremonies, which are sold out, will also be in Medal Plaza on March 21.