Toronto got its games – the first international multisport event since the British Empire Games in 1930. It got an Athletes' Village, new sports infrastructure, a mascot and a bike path. Hamilton got a stadium and Milton got a velodrome. Rob Ford got high-occupancy vehicle lanes.
And whether we are excited for these Pan Am Games or not, we're getting them, too. After six years to prepare and two weeks to test traffic, Toronto now welcomes 41 American countries to compete in its surroundings, from Oshawa to Welland.
Toronto is playing host to the Pan American and Parapan American games from July 10 to 26, though water polo is already under way with its opener earlier Tuesday. As a qualifier for the next summer's Olympics, several other Pan Am sports will lead to Rio.
Canada's in it to win it, too. It's bumped its team up from 500 to 700 athletes, with more gold-medal hopefuls than you can count on your fingers. Verity Stevenson has crunched the numbers – all the ones you could think of and more. From the rolls of toilet paper and the million ice cream scoops to the nearly doubled billion-dollar budget.
HISTORY
1951
The first Pan Am Games were held in Buenos Aires. The host Argentines won the most medals.
1999
The first Parapan Am Games were held in Mexico City.
1990
The only winter Pan Am Games were hosted by Las Lenas, Argentina. Eight countries and 97 athletes participated. Canada won seven medals in alpine skiing.
Golf
debuts as a Pan Am sport at the 2015 games.
1930
The last time Toronto hosted an international multisport event: the British Empire Games, now know as the Commonwealth Games.
THE ATHLETES
7,700
The number of Pan Am (6,100) and Parapan Am (1,600) athletes competing this year, the largest ever.
4,283
The number of medals to be given out during 825 Pan Am and Parapan Am sports.
400
The total number of competition chairs used in three Parapan Am events: wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby.
41
The number of countries competing in 51 Pan Am and Parapan Am events.
4,172
The number that the country with the most Pan Am medals, the United States, has won to date.
1
The number that the country with the least Pan Am medals, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has won. Eswort Coombs won its only medal, a bronze, in 1995.
18
The most Pan Am medals one athlete, Thiago (Mr. Pan) Pereira of Brazil, has won, including 12 Pan Am gold.
CANADA AT PAN AM
We’re No. 2!
Own the Podium predicts Canada will place second in this year’s medal count with 160.
15
The age of Alicia Côté, a table tennis player from Drummondville, Que., who is the youngest Canadian athlete.
68
The age of the oldest Canadian competitor, equestrian show jumping legend Ian Millar.
1,696
The number of medals Canada has won, third-most in the history of the games. Cuba is second with 1,932 medals, after the United States’ total of 4,172.
119
Total number of medals Canada won at the last games in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2011. Canada ranked fifth overall, winning 30 gold, 40 silver and 49 bronze.
196
The number of medals won by Canada the last time the games were in Canada, in 1999. The games were hosted by Winnipeg and Canada placed third.
No. 2
The first time the games were held in Canada – in 1967 – was also in Winnipeg. That’s when Canada fared the best at the Games, ranking second with 106 medals.
THE MONEY
$1.4-billion
The amount Toronto’s bidding committee initially budgeted to host the games.
$2.5-billion
The total amount spent today – almost double what was forecast. Of that, $10.6-million went toward helping countries with travel costs.
$750-million (U.S.)
The approximate cost of the last games in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2011. It too went over budget, which was initially pegged at $200-million.
1.4 million
The number of tickets expected to be sold.
800,000
The number of tickets sold as of earlier this week. Ticket sales were to account for $40-million of the budget but, with many still unsold, free tickets are being distributed to residents and youth in the host municipalities.
$709-million
The cost of the Athletes’ Village, which was completed in February and is one of the main legacy projects for Toronto. Come fall, the athletes’ residences will turn into affordable condos and townhouses, and student housing for George Brown College. As well, the new YMCA will open to the public.
$6,041.66
The construction cost per seat at Hamilton Pan Am Stadium, the most expensive new venue. The bill comes in at $145-million for the 24,000-person capacity stadium that will host soccer. It took two years to build.
$383,045
The cost of Pachi, the Pan Am Games mascot, when considering promotion, performer salaries and more.
FOOD
464,000
The number of meals served during the games, including 80,000 portions of chicken breast and 50,000 portions of steak – the weight of two small elephants.
90,000
The number of ripe bananas available if athletes need an extra boost, with bunches to spare.
10,000
Litres of orange juice, ready to be drunk.
1.5 million
For dessert, the number of scoops of ice cream.
3.8 million
For after dessert, the number of Pan Am-branded condoms printed and packaged.
INFRASTRUCTURE
350 km
The arterial footprint of the games from Welland to Minden – the same distance between the CN Tower and Parliament Hill.
199 km
The distance of the furthest venue from downtown Toronto. The Minden Wild Water Preserve in Minden Hills, which is hosting canoe/kayak slalom, is close to a three-hour drive from the CN Tower.
235 km
The total distance of high-occupancy vehicle lanes – reserved for Pan Am vehicles or cars with a minimum of three passengers. It may be best to recalculate that driving time to Minden Hills.
$61-million
The amount Ontario estimates it will spend to help curb traffic congestion.
31
The number of venues athletes will compete in. Ten were built for the games.
16
The number of municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area participating in events. Let’s count ’em down: Ajax, Burlington, Caledon, Hamilton, Innisfil, Markham, Milton, Minden Hills, Mississauga, Mono, Oro-Medonte, Oshawa, St. Catharines, Toronto, Welland and Whitby. The host First Nation of the games is the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation.
1,000
The number of staff from 150 organizations who were involved in emergency planning in the two years leading up to the games.
26 days
The duration of the Pan Am and Parapan Am games.
60,000
The number of applicants who jockeyed for a spot among the 23,000 volunteers.
AJX, HAM, PAD
There are 5,000 of these coded signs installed on roadways leading to the games’ venues. (And don’t forget the HOV.)
THE VILLAGE
1,300
The number of units in the Athletes’ Village located in the West Don Lands.
That calls for 10,000 room keys. There are 5,400 beds crammed in (including 900 bunk beds and 837 accessible beds) with 7,150 mattresses – enough to cover 53 tennis courts – and 8,500 pillows. Beside the beds are 7,100 night stands and 875 clip-on lamps.